


Your Lips On Mine

by zipplekink



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bottom Zayn, M/M, Masturbation, Mechanic Liam, Rimming, Sex Toys, Smut, Spanking, University AU, camboy Zayn, mutual handjobs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 15:22:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 56,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5053894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zipplekink/pseuds/zipplekink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>The situation is weird, like really fucking weird. Liam thought maybe he was hallucinating when he first saw Zayn in their apartment, exhausted from work or something. He thinks about Bradford a lot more than he probably should, always eager for the next time he gets to watch him. But when Niall told him about the other new roommate, Zayn, he never in a million years thought it would be him - even when Niall said Zayn was just his type and had silver hair. </i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[Or the one where Zayn is a camboy, who likes to think about the fit mechanic with a liking for leather jackets and scruffy beards from uni during his shows. And Liam, the mechanic, who realizes his new roommate is Bradford, the man with the smooth skin covered in tattoos that Liam watches late at night with a hand wrapped around himself.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Your Lips On Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm pretty sure I tagged everything but if I have forgotten something please let me know. (There's a lot hah). I tagged the spanking just in case but I don't personally think it is really aggressive, for those who may be worried about it. 
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me messages of support while I had a difficult time writing. I really hope you guys enjoy this one. I got a lot of messages asking for Camboy Zayn when the Interview Mag selfie came out, so hopefully I did it justice. Thank you [Caroline](http://curlymohawkliam.tumblr.com) for helping me with ideas and my incessant need for approval lol. And [Monica](http://liamzquad.tumblr.com) for looking this over too. I love you x
> 
> (Song Title from Would You Mind by Janet Jackson)

Liam huffs out an overwhelmed breath, digging his fingers against his thighs as he watches the man on the screen. He is captivating, truly - entrancing Liam with the dance of his fingers against the bulge of muscle at his belly, the way his swollen red lips part and the way his thick eyelashes span across the high of his sharp cheekbones. The bluish glow against his skin and the way his thick eyebrows push together when a rough sound vibrates in his throat. It is arousing, just watching him get turned on by himself.

He always does this - teases, like he knows how badly his viewers want to be able to feel what the pads of his fingertips feel. The warmth of his skin, the feel of his muscles flexing as he rotates his hips. Or at least, that is what Liam wants - to feel his smooth skin under his rougher palms, to cradle his hips and tongue at the skin stretched taut over his muscles.

Liam groans softly, cock twitching underneath the confines of the briefs he still wears as he watches the corners of the man’s lips quirk up. The man dips his hands lower, fingers scratching at the hair trailing underneath his belly button.

Bradford is what Liam calls him, having been given no name other than his username. It fits, BradfordBadBoy, with the ink dancing up his arms and scattered across his chest, slipping down his sides and hugging at his hips. And then there is the silver hair, which always takes on a bluish tone from the computer. He looks familiar somehow, but Liam just tells himself it is because of the two years he has been watching him get off. He would know if he has ever crossed paths with someone as beautiful as Bradford.

“Want me to take it off?” He whispers, words rolling off of his tongue in his thick accent. Liam nods foolishly, sliding his palm between his legs as he watches Bradford tug at the red material stretched over his length.

He cups himself in sync with the man on the computer, easing his palm down his length and squeezing himself - just a pressure that makes a twist of arousal flow through his limbs. Bradford’s eyes flick open, lips parting even more around a long exhale as he does the same. His tongue swipes across his bottom lip - a habit that he does more than a handful of times each show, but it still affects Liam the same.

It is maddeningly slow, the way the man on the computer slides off his briefs. Stopping after sliding one side down his hip to drag a thumb across the band, teasing at where the head of his cock pokes out from underneath the material. Liam’s heart thuds heavy in his chest, and he feels kind of silly since he has seen the man’s cock plenty of times but he feels addicted, desperate for just a glimpse to satiate his craving.

Liam shoves a hand underneath his briefs as Bradford walks closer to the camera, stepping out of his briefs and making himself comfortable in a too familiar chair. His legs shift up, feet seemingly flat on a surface Liam can’t see - or wouldn’t care about, because his eyes are intent on his belly.

It is obscene the way the thick of his prick looks, heavy and leaking against his bunched up belly. Bradford rubs a thumb up the underside, moaning softly before dragging the pad of his finger against the slit. He always does that too, teases at the head before getting a proper grip around himself.

Liam moans, pumping his cock slowly - wishing he could better imagine those slender fingers of Bradford’s wrapped around himself instead of his thicker ones, his tongue sliding against Liam’s skin the way it always does across his bottom lip. Liam wants to taste his skin too, drag his teeth over the gun tattooed at his hip, or the heart shaped tattoo on the other side. He wants to make his own tattoos in between them, mouth shaped and purpled.

He makes a mental note to buy headphones for his new flat as Bradford’s whimpers echo throughout the room, because there is no doubt in his mind that Niall would never let him live this down if he finds out. He has cancelled his plans with Lou and him tonight to watch Bradford, looking forward to speaking to him, watching him all day and it had made him distracted at work -

Bradford rubs his palm over the head before slicking his length with the precome collected at his fingers, the shine glowing from the light of the computer screen. “Want a taste?”

Liam groans roughly, knocking his head back against the back of his chair. It is amazing to him that Bradford hasn’t made him combust permanently because every time Liam logs on to watch him, it feels like it.

+*

The room is mostly quiet, other than the soft moans that echo off the walls and the slick sound of a hand working over a cock. But his heartbeat pounds against his ears, muting all of it so he can only feel the whimpers roll off of his tongue and feel the slick of his cock gliding against his palm.

He shivers when he teases himself, rolling his thumb over the head, spending too much of his time rubbing at the slit just like he always does, because he likes the way precome streaks out, the way his cock flushes an obscene red that is hard to see under the bluish glow of the computer screen.

Zayn bites around his grin, eyeing the steady stream of comments that pop up in the message box on the right of the box where he can see himself. He searches for one username in particular, the username that always makes him feel like the arousal in his belly is too hard to contain -

There is just something normal about him, and maybe it is just the fact that he is probably the only username that isn’t anonymous or doesn’t have anything to do with the size of his prick or something like AssEater69. And probably the compliments that make Zayn’s cheeks feel like fire, because they are always sweet and Zayn likes to imagine them being whispered into his ear right before he comes.

And he has been around since Zayn has started this, over two years ago when he realized his job at the bookshop isn't going to help him much with uni and the countless amount of other bills he has. Every time Zayn has a show, he has been there. Twice a week, for two years. And even more in the summer, when Zayn did more shows than normal to build up his savings, and because he might enjoy it more than he wants to admit.

“Fuck,” Zayn groans, eyes fluttering shut in a way he knows will highlight the shadow that his eyelashes create against the high of his cheekbones. He likes it this way, the only light in the room is from the dim glow of the computer screen and the far away lamp placed on his desk. Too much light bites away at his confidence.

On the computer he watches the way his hand blurs over his cock, the way the glow reflects off the precome dripping down his fist. The flush on his chest looks darker in the dim light, sweat clinging to his skin and it is thrilling sort of, thinking of the few hundred faceless people logged on right now that are watching him, getting off to _him_.

He closes his eyes as he nears closer, trying to imagine someone else there with him. He always imagines the same face,  the same lad who always seems to be leaning against the brick wall of the Business Building, cigarette dangling between his lips whenever Zayn passes by to go to the Arts Building. His hair is always pushed up into a curly quiff with strands sometimes falling in front of his forehead, and always clad in a leather jacket hugged tight to his broad shoulders like he has an obsession with the greaser look.

Except for one time has Zayn seen him without the jacket. Well, nothing covering his chest at all, actually. Playing footie with Tommo and Nialler, and Zayn had shrunken into the driver's seat of his car as he waited for Nialler to get in, peering over the window to get a glimpse of the way the muscles of his abdomen danced as he ran.

Zayn imagines those muscles dancing again right before he comes across Zayn’s belly, the thick muscles of his arm bulging as he works his hand over Zayn's cock while Zayn’s slender fingers are wrapped around his. Those full lips pressing to his sternum, a hoarse voice thick with arousal telling him what a good lad he is being -

His moans echo off the walls, something that will be a problem when he moves into his new flat in a few days. Harry is never here, but always at the flat they are moving into. (Which is one of the reasons they had decided to move in the first place). Zayn likes to be loud, whether on camera or in bed with someone, he always wants everyone to know how good he feels because he likes hearing how good he makes others feel.

The muscles of his belly contract violently, hips bucking up into his fist as he nears closer and toes curling in the air where one of his legs hangs over the side of the chair. He imagines a scruffy beard against his jaw, rawing his skin and teeth digging into the slope of his neck, him begging Zayn to moan his name -

 _Liam_.

Zayn flicks his eyes open, making a show of the way his lips part around his hitched off moans, the way his back arches from the computer chair and the slope of his neck as his head tilts back, showing off the tendons that pop out as his body tenses before he comes.

The comments pop up faster as come slips down his fist and streaks out onto his belly, some dirty to the point of gross, some just complimenting, telling him how pretty he looks when he comes or how they are about to come too.

_Wolfie93: fuck u look beautiful, tell me how u taste ?_

The corners of Zayn's lips quirk up as he spots the username, covering up the way his heart picks up the pace and a shot of lingering arousal goes through him. He keeps his eyes on the screen as he scoops up some come from his belly, tongue flattening past his lips as he drags his fingers against it. He wraps his lips around his fingers, eyes fluttering shut as he moans -

"Mm," he groans obscenely, wiping his thumb against the corner of his lips. "Tastes good, but I'd rather it be yours."

He gives the audience a lazy grin as he leans forward, his face coming closer to the camera as he hits the PM button next to Wolfie’s username. He speaks in a husky voice, his accent thicker as it rolls off his tongue and he says his normal spiel of thank you for watching and hope to see you next time before closing out of the livestream.

_BradfordBadBoy: especially u aha ! x ;). hope u will b :)_

_Wolfie93: cancelled on me mates 2nt to c u, so ill defo be there :D_

Zayn grins foolishly, feeling his cheeks warm as his fingers hover over the keyboard. They always do this, talk for a few minutes after one of Zayn’s shows and it always drives him a bit mad, the curiosity he has to know what Wolfie looks like. But he is nervous about him being some creepy man, and he prays that 93 is the year he was born and not his age.

_BradfordBadBoy: im honored babe ;), i will make it worth it x_

+*

"What do you have in here, a dead body?" Harry complains, trying to keep the suitcase from clanging against the stairs but it doesn't work. They are only on the second floor, thankfully, because the elevator is closed for repair.

Zayn grins, following behind him with two duffel bags in each hand. He doesn't have a lot of things, most of his belongings still at his childhood home in Bradford, but it feels like a lot when he had been trying to pack them into as few bags and boxes as possible.

"Yeah, your boyfriend's."

Harry lets out a sigh of relief as he steps onto the second floor's landing. "Don't get mad at him, he doesn't know that you get a proper stiff over his best mate.”

"I do not," Zayn denies coolly, shoving past Harry with a grin on his lips.

Harry rolls his eyes as he follows behind him. "Don't act like I didn't see you at the footie game last year -"

"Shut up," Zayn snaps, turning to glare at him before he steps up to their flat's door. It is cracked open already, since they have been moving in all morning. Harry moved in yesterday, where he found out that someone was given the extra room -

(Which is completely Harry's fault because it was supposed to be his, but he insisted on sharing with Nialler even though Zayn thought it to be daft. They just started dating at the end of the last school year, only a few months ago.)

“‘ _Oh my god, Haz. Who is that? Look at those arms -_ ’”

Zayn punches him hard in the shoulder to get him to shut up. It works, but Harry’s face crumples into a frown as he drops his suitcase loudly by the front door.

“That was unnecessary, you arse. I'm just saying that maybe this will give you the chance to finally grow the balls to ask him to help you with it. And you'll be thanking Niall later -"

Zayn goes to punch him again as Niall pads out from the hallway, an apple in his hand, brows furrowed as he chews. His sweater is much too big on him, bunching around the wrists and hanging way past his hips, his blonde tipped hair a wreck around his head. He had been sprawled out on the couch when they first walked, asleep and hanging halfway off the couch.

"Thanking me for what?"

"For suggesting we all go out tonight," Harry says instantly, giving Zayn a look that makes the urge to punch him harder to resist. "Us, Payner and Tommo. Like a roommate bonding thing or whatever. Get to _know_ each other,"

Niall's face brightens, lips quirking up high into his cheeks as he points at Zayn, missing the way Harry wiggles his eyes at Zayn as he says the last part. "You got it, laddy. Harry said he reckoned you were going to be resistant about coming with us."

Zayn has always liked Niall, and it is kind of hard not to with the way his laughter is addictive and there is always a pleasant smile on his face. You always know when you are in the same room with him, louder than everyone no matter what crowd it is. Like Harry, social and the life of the party. The only reason Zayn can find to explain maybe why they work.

"He thinks I hate going out but I just hate him," Zayn utters as he shuffles through the large living room. It is messy, clothes strewn on the floor and opened pizza boxes laid out on the table. Xbox games are piled up all around the television, mixed in with movies and textbooks that are old and worn looking. The ground could use a good vacuuming, and Zayn is thankful he hadn’t taken up his mum’s offer on helping him move into the apartment because she would absolutely go crazy at the state of it.

The hallway to their bedrooms is a bit narrow where the first two bedrooms are, his elbows nearly clacking against the walls on either side as he pads through. It forms a cul-de-sac at the end, where the bathroom, Zayn's bedroom and _Liam Payne’s_ bedroom is -

His room isn't too small, fitting a desk, dresser and his bed comfortably though it is smaller than the others. There is a window with a ledge big enough that he can sit on, which had been his reason for choosing this room when Niall had given him the tour a few weeks ago. The view isn't spectacular, but at least he can hang out of the window when the air becomes too cold to suit up for a smoke.

He places the duffel bags he carries on his bare mattress as Harry trucks in behind him and drops his suitcase. It clangs loudly on the ground and even though his camera equipment isn’t inside that suitcase, Harry doesn’t _know_ that.

“Careful with my stuff,” Zayn snaps, grabbing the suitcase from the ground to move it out of the way of the door. “What if my cameras were in here?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Like you would let me bring that in,” he says seriously. Zayn doesn’t say anything in response, because he is right. Zayn doesn’t let anyone touch his stuff, especially not the things that cost more than anything else he owns. And especially not _Harry_ , who has two left feet and a knack of falling for seemingly no reason.

“Don’t think about ditching us tonight,” Harry goes on, shoving his fingers into the pockets of his skin tight jeans. “We are going out tonight and I am dragging you out of this bedroom if you even try to put up a fight. And don’t say you’re skyping your Mum again like you always do, ‘cause I don’t know why Mummy Trish can only do it after eight -”

Zayn just turns away and tunes out Harry to unzip one of the duffel bags. There is no point in arguing, because Harry would actually drag him out of his room, but tonight he doesn’t have a show so he doesn’t need to lie to Harry.

He is just nervous about being around Liam and Harry constantly talking about it makes him even more nervous.

“You need to loosen up, mate. Get a good shag in you. Who knows, maybe Liam -”

Zayn chucks a balled up pair of socks at him to get him to stop. “I’m plenty loose mate. Made sure of it last night while you were gone.”

Harry groans, eyes clenching shut as he rushes out of his bedroom, making Zayn laugh in his wake.

+*

Zayn sighs, peering at the mess around his room. This is what he hates about moving, having to put everything away. He shoves most of his clothes into the drawers, only hanging up a few. His supplies and books stay packed in boxes on top of his desk, only leaving enough room for his computer. His camera equipment is still boxed, shoved in between the wall in his bed, along with the shelf he plans on putting up and he feels too lazy to unpack everything.

Niall and Harry had gone out to pick up groceries and drinks, leaving Zayn by himself. He doesn't mind being alone, even craves it sometimes. He can listen to his music loudly while he procrastinates without having to hear Harry tease him about all his music being sex music. Half of it isn't, but the slow drawled out lyrics and sensual beats make it seem like it.

Zayn pads into the hallway with his shower caddy, the only thing he has really managed to unpack other than his clothes and bedding, wiggling his hips to _watch while I undress, let me show you some_ when he spots Liam’s door .

“Don’t,” Zayn tells himself quietly, halting his movements. “Invasion of privacy,which you hate -”

He ignores himself, gently pushing open the door and peeping his head in like he is afraid Liam might pop out of it and get angry that he is snooping.

Liam had moved in the day before according to Harry, and everything of his is unpacked from what Zayn can see. His desk is neat and organized with labeled office rubbermaids and his textbooks stacked neatly beside his laptop. A few photographs stand on top of his dresser and his bed is made neatly, just like his mother does it - black and white pillow with their corners tucked and propped up against his headboard, a black comforter tucked under the mattress and pulled back at the top to reveal the red sheets underneath. The room is bare of anything else, nothing on the floor and only a Man of Steel movie poster tacked to the wall beside his bed.

It is so neat, especially compared to the tornado that is usually his room that he kind of wants to peek in his drawers and see if they just have things shoved in them in order to make his room neat, but that is really overstepping -

Zayn's heart jumps when he hears the front door open, and he quickly but carefully closes Liam's before he turns to head back towards the bedroom.

"Absolute shit mate. I would have told that bird to fuck off -"

He recognizes the Tommo's voice over the music, but not the soft giggle that follows his words. It is a beautiful sound, making Zayn walk back out of the bathroom even though he had been considering hiding in it.

His breath catches in his throat when he sees Liam, a white t-shirt with grease stains at the bottom stretching across his chest, his jeans sagging past his hips enough for Zayn to see the black briefs that stick out around the top. He wears his leather jacket like normally, and a smile that makes the crinkles by his eyes deep and his cheeks bunch up and Zayn feels like he might just burst from the way it makes his chest feel.

Liam stops dead in his tracks when he spots Zayn, stiffening considerably as the smile slips off of his lips and his brows furrow. Zayn can feel his cheeks burn under Liam's gaze and he shifts awkwardly, cupping the back of his neck as he tries to come up with something to say.

"Zayn, right?" Louis intercepts after Zayn parts his lips a few times because he can't seem to find his voice. They have only met once before,  but everyone knows Louis Tomlinson - football captain and Niall Horan’s best mate.

"Yeah," Zayn says, not holding his hand out even if it feels rude not to.

"Louis Tomlinson," Louis introduces before clapping Liam hard on the chest. He jolts like he hadn't been expecting it, cheeks flushing a lovely shade of pink. "Payno, Liam Payne. The quiet one of the bunch."

Zayn's eyes flit back to Liam, who only nods as if agreeing that is his name. He looks tense and uncomfortable, brows furrowed as he glances at Zayn.

"Nice to meet you," Zayn finally manages, hoping to sound light enough to ease the awkwardness of the whole situation. He knows it must fail, because Liam cringes when he speaks like he is discomforted by the sound of Zayn’s voice.

Louis' brows furrow too, an amused smile crossing his lips. It reminds him of Harry's, the same grin he gets right before he says something he thinks is funny, which usually never is.

Liam nods jerkily, hand sliding around the back of his neck like Zayn's had a moment ago. "Yeah, you too. Erm - excuse me, though. Need a shower. Been at work all day."

Zayn steps aside to let him pass, trying not to notice how he smells like motor oil and cigarettes and how that shouldn’t be something that arouses him, but it does. Louis keeps looking at him, that amused smile growing.

"Gonna be fun, yeah?"

Zayn only shrugs before he ducks back into his room, exhaling in deep the moment he is inside in hope that his heart will calm down. He wonders if he could survive staying in here forever. He knows Harry will bring him food, and he has his computer to make a source of income for rent -

Zayn groans, knocking his head against the back of his door as he runs a hand down his face. Great.

+*

It isn’t as awkward as they get into Louis’ car to head towards the bar. Liam sits in the passenger seat in front of him, which he had done purposefully to lessen the chance of making eye contact with him, which he has been trying to do all day. Harry is pressed to his side, Niall on the other side of him and they make enough conversation that Zayn doesn’t have to pipe in. And as much as Harry teases him for taking so long to get comfortable in social situations, he deflects the conversation when it is geared towards Zayn easily.

The bar is packed already when they arrive, clusters of people standing outside as they smoke and the crowds of people inside can be seen from the large windows surrounding the entrance.

“We were at this one last week,” Louis says as he pulls into a parking spot behind the bar. He glares at Liam. “When you refused to come with us.”

“Was busy,” Zayn can hear Liam mutter, though it is quiet. “Can’t fuck about with you guys every night.”

“It was your birthday celebration,” Louis says, shutting off the engine. “So get wasted tonight, it is way overdue.”

Liam grumbles something incoherent as they all get out of the car. It was a bad idea to sit behind Liam he realizes as he steps out, making eye contact with the man. Liam rips his eyes away instantly before taking off towards the bar, the night doing little to hide  the flush in his cheeks. Zayn stares at him for a moment, watching the way he messes the sandy brown curls at the top of his head before he follows behind.

Niall throws an arm around his shoulders as they make their way inside, lips pressing to his ear to be heard over the music that bumps loudly.

“Thanks for coming out with us,” he yells. “First drink on me.”

Zayn itches at the scruff on his jaw, eyeing the bright red of Niall’s cheeks. “I’m driving, remember?”

Niall shrugs like this isn’t a big deal, turning them to head towards the bar. “One drink won’t hurt, mate. We will be here for awhile.”

“Oh um, okay,” Zayn murmurs, hoping his grin doesn’t feel as awkward as it feels. He knows Niall is trying to make him feel comfortable with a cool smile on his face, and Zayn can’t tell him that it isn’t the bar that is making him feel awkward, but the tension in Liam’s jaw whenever he is around.

“Harry was right, you and Liam will get along well.”

“What?” Zayn practically barks at him, his head whipping around to look at Niall.

Niall laughs loudly, face reddening and eyes clenching closed as he squeezes his hold around Zayn’s shoulder. “You remind me of him. Everyone knows Tommo and I, but Liam is like the calm to our storm, if you know what I mean.”

Zayn doesn’t know what he means, but Niall only claps him on the cheek before letting him go and pushing through the crowd huddled around the bar.

He squeezes into Niall’s side, hand gripping his elbow to  make sure he doesn’t order him something that won’t kill his liver after half a sip. Relief fills him when Niall presses a beer bottle into his hand, a grin on his lips before he waves towards the bartender again.

“It’s probably gross.”

Zayn looks over his shoulder, stiffening some when his eyes slide over Liam. He is only a few inches away, attempting to squeeze past him to get to Niall. The expression on his face is unreadable before he looks away to say something to Niall.

**+***

"I think he hates me."

Harry's brows furrow as he leans against the bar, elbows winged out. He glances around before looking back at Zayn. "Who? The bartender?"

"No," Zayn sighs, tightening his grip on the bottle he holds. He has been sipping at it since Niall bought it for him and it has since gone lukewarm, harder to get down even though it had been gross cold, just like Liam had warned. He doesn't mind going out as much as Harry makes it seem. He likes the dancing and the music, but Harry always wants to go out when he has a show and he likes to drink much more than Zayn does. "Liam."

Harry's nose wrinkles in amusement. "Have you even talked to him?"

Zayn shakes his head, feeling his cheeks burn even though it won’t be too noticeable in the dim lighting. He has avoided looking at Zayn all night, even though it is probably Zayn’s fault because he couldn’t tear his eyes away even though eye contact makes his nerves erupt. They have since parted ways, Liam closer towards the dance floor with Louis by his side, but he keeps glancing in Zayn’s direction and every time Zayn catches him, his face crumples and he turns away.

Harry sighs, grabbing his elbow and tugging him from the bar. “Come on.”

Zayn wants to protest and he tries to, shaking his head and muttering for Harry to let him go under his breath, but Harry either ignores him or can’t hear him over the music (and knowing Harry, it is probably the first).

Liam’s eyes slide on them as they approach, that same look that seems to be special for Zayn crossing his face before he looks down into the contents of his cup. The dim lights sends shadows across his features, making his eyelashes seem longer and his jaw sharper. He has left the leather jacket at home, but Zayn likes the blue jean material of his shirt, and the way he has it buttoned up to his throat, highlighting the dark birthmark above it.

“Liam,” Harry says, releasing his hold on Zayn. “Did Zayn here tell you he is a photographer?”

Liam’s eyes widen slightly, his Adam’s Apple bobbing as he swallows thickly. Zayn eyes the dark birthmark above the collar of his shirt, making his his belly swoop at the thought of placing his lips there.  “Erm, no - that is eh -”

“Yeah,” Harry goes on, brows furrowing some as he looks at Liam and Zayn wants to blurt _I told you so_. “I figured he could help you in that project you said you were going to have to do for your Advertising class?”

Zayn keeps his expression cool, uncaring even though his heart beats heavily in his chest because he can feel Liam’s eyes burning a hole into the side of his face. He wishes he has never seen Liam before, so he wouldn’t have the nerves he has now or care about the tension that makes him clench his jaw before he speaks. Zayn would probably approach him if it were different, using that confident smirk of his to ask him for a dance.

“It’s a - um, video, actually? Like a commercial.”

Harry’s eyes brighten as they widen, looking between the two of them as he claps Liam on the shoulder. “Perfect, Zayn is even better with film.”

Liam coughs roughly, bringing a fist to his lips as he peers at Zayn. His cheeks are an apple red color, bright even underneath the dim lighting.

"Erm, yeah. Maybe."

Zayn pulls away from Harry, keeping his sigh to himself as he shuffles his way into the crowd of people to get away from the awkward situation and settle himself into something more comfortable - like a hard body and strong hands.

+*

Liam feels like a creep, standing on the edge of the crowd with his eyes planted on Zayn. He just can't help but watch the way his hips work back against the man behind him or think about how familiar it is, the expert way he knows how to work them.

The situation is weird, like really fucking weird. Liam thought maybe he was hallucinating when he first saw Zayn in their apartment, exhausted from work or something. He thinks about Bradford a lot more than he probably should, always eager for the next time he gets to watch him. But when Niall told him about the other new roommate, Zayn, he never in a million years thought it would be him - even when Niall said Zayn was just his type and had _silver_ hair.

Liam swallows the rest of his drink, watching the way the man behind Zayn's slides his fingers against Zayn's belly. It is definitely not him - it can't be. Maybe it is just someone similar looking and equally as fit. Bradford's camera isn't the best quality and maybe silver hair is a new trend, something everyone is doing.

Liam ignores the protest in his mind, telling him it is clearly Bradford as he steps into the crowd. He hates the feeling curling through him, making him want to shove the man behind Zayn roughly away because he has no right to feel that way. He doesn’t know Zayn, but _fuck_ he wants to.

"Excuse me," Liam says loudly over the music, sliding his fingers across the material covering Zayn’s arm. He wears a simple black long sleeved shirt, but it stretches across his chest and hugs his hips and it doesn’t seem so simple on him. Liam wants to know if there is ink curled up his arm or not, if he has the pair of lips stained on the back of his hand and the microphone etched up the inside of his arm.

Zayn's eyes widen when they fall onto Liam, but they harden instantly as his brows push together. He halts his movements though, instead reaching to pull the man’s hands from his abdomen. The man hardly seems to notice, face scrunching together as he sings loudly to _baby won’t you come my way -_

“I um,” Liam says, leaning his head forward so he doesn’t have to shout so loudly. “Was wonderin’ if you would fancy a dance? With me?”

Zayn looks skeptical when he pulls back, eyebrow raised and teeth dragging across his bottom lip. And for a long moment Liam tries to come up with a way to apologize and pretend he was joking, but Zayn nods, shrugging away from the other man he dances with without word.

“Yeah?” Zayn asks skeptically, fingers sliding against Liam’s wrist before he curls them around it. A grin pushes on his lips, a look of confidence on his face that hadn’t been there earlier. He had looked uncaring, maybe even a little put off by Liam’s awkward behavior.

But it reminds Liam so much of Bradford he has to trap the groan in his throat as Zayn pulls him closer to his body.

“Yeah, um -”

Zayn turns in front of him, eyes bright as he looks over his shoulder as their bodies fit together. He is warm where his back presses to Liam’s chest and where his fingertips guides Liam’s hand to rest against his belly.

It is a little hesitant at first, like Liam has forgotten how to dance, his body just as stiff as Zayn's. The music is fast but they move slowly against each other, taking their time to fall in sync with the beat.

He relaxes when Zayn fits closer to him, throwing an encouraging smile over his shoulder and blowing away any of the hesitancy left in Liam. He has craved being able to touch Bradford, to feel their bodies aligned together and he doesn't want to blow his chance.

Liam eyes the slope of his neck as Zayn tilts his head back against his shoulder, eyes fluttering shut as he rolls his hips in sync with Liam’s. He keeps his hand over Liam’s, the other one cupped around Liam’s hip like he wants to hold onto him in case he tries to run away.

It isn’t anything unusual for Liam, going to a bar or club and finding someone new to dance with. It usually ends with messy hand jobs in the loo, or hard kisses and scribbled phone numbers on his palm that always seem to fade by the morning. It never makes him nervous, but Zayn is different.

Because the roll of his hips remind Liam of late nights with a hand around himself, watching Bradford work himself back on his fingers, cock heavy and bobbing between his legs. The feel of Zayn’s hard belly reminds him of the way it twitches and spasms before he comes, and he flattens his palm against it, pushing Zayn closer to him even though his cock is already hard and aching where it presses to his bum.

He can’t help the way he turns his head to hum the song against Zayn’s neck, or the way his palm bunches up his shirt as it slides up his chest. It should feel different, he knows, because Zayn isn’t just someone he meets randomly at a bar - he is his new roommate and that could be messy, especially given the weird situation that Liam refuses to admit is a thing, but -

Zayn turns suddenly, before Liam can pull away at the thought. A lazy grin covers Zayn’s lips, eyes dark and surrounded by thick eyelashes. He mimes smoking a cigarette, pressing two fingers to his lips before he quirks up a brow and nudges his head towards the entrance.

Liam keeps a hand loose against Zayn’s hip as he follows him out, sucking in as much breath as he can before he has to face Zayn outside alone. Sweat clings to his skin, making his curls stick to his forehead and his shirt damp around the collar. There aren’t as many people outside as there were when they first arrived, but it isn’t too quiet thankfully. The music can still be heard loudly, just muffled, and there is a buzz of chatter around them.

He watches as Zayn pulls out a pack from his jeans, smoothly pulling out one and pressing it between his lips. Liam wonders if there is something wrong with himself for a moment as he watches Zayn bring the lighter to the cherry, because he is oddly aroused by the way Zayn cups the end of the cigarette and tilts his head to light it.

“Want one?” Zayn murmurs, holding the pack out towards Liam, brows quirked up.

Liam pulls out his own pack with a grin, leaning back against the building. Zayn watches him with a look that Liam can’t put a name to, the nerves no longer lingering on his face like they had been all day. And that had probably been Liam’s fault, because he hadn’t actually been polite to Zayn earlier and he isn’t very good at being discreet -

“Reckon’d you didn’t like me too much.”

Liam’s heart flips in his chest at the familiar voice, the thick accent and the hoarse way he speaks. He refuses to acknowledge it though, refuses to pay attention to the wings popping out from underneath the collar of Zayn’s shirt or the way his tongue slides across his bottom lip like a habit, every time he drags the butt of his cigarette away to exhale.

“Saw you ‘round campus a lot,” Liam lies. He inhales for a long moment, giving himself some time to deal with the fact that Bradford has been close to him for so long. “Thought you were fit, threw me off guard when I saw you in the flat.”

A flush rushes up Zayn’s cheekbones, coating his skin as his eyes flicker down towards his feet shyly. He toes at the sidewalk, peeking up at Liam with the hint of a grin in his eyes.

“Yeah? Why didn’t you come up to me and say anything?”

Liam pushes off the building, pulling the cigarette from his lips as he steps closer to Zayn. “Reckon me chat ups aren’t too great.”

Zayn snorts, cupping Liam’s hip again but not coming any closer. He raises a brow, head tilting to the side some. “Try ‘em out on me.”

“‘Fancy a dance with me?’ was my best one.”

Zayn laughs, offending Liam with how sweet of a sound it is. His eyes crinkle, tongue peeking out from behind his teeth as the laughter rolls off his tongue. His fingers flex against Liam’s hip, dragging him a step closer.

“Good thing you’re good at dancing, I guess.”

"Lots of practice," Liam murmurs lowly, lips quirking up. "And you're not so bad yourself."

"Lots of practice," Zayn repeats teasingly.

Liam chokes on the smoke in this throat, making Zayn's eyebrows push together in concern. He takes the cigarette from Liam and Liam wishes he had another drink or something to wash away the thoughts of Zayn rolling his hips back against him.

"Easy," Zayn says softly, tossing the cigarette onto the sidewalk.

"Sorry," he mutters, sliding his now free hand to Zayn's hip. He watches the way his fingers look spread out against them, his hand large in comparison to Zayn's thin waist. It sends a tremble of arousal through him, because he wants to see how it looks when it is just skin on skin. "Thinking about you moving your hips, is all."

Liam groans internally to himself after he says it. He wasn't lying about having a bad chat up game, but normally he doesn't need one because "wanna go somewhere else" usually works for him.

Zayn snorts. He moves closer again, until their hips are practically touching. Out of habit, Liam spreads his legs to fit the other man between them even if it makes his breath catch.

"Yeah?" Zayn murmurs, eyes searching Liam's face.

He feels like he is in a trance the way he nods slowly, eyes latched onto the way Zayn’s lips wrap around the butt of his cigarette once more. It shouldn’t be obscene, or make Liam think about Zayn’s lips wrapping around him, stretching around the thick of his prick as Liam eases further down his throat -

“Yeah,” Liam says quietly as Zayn stomps it out. His tongue instantly takes it’s place before he nudges his head towards the bar.

“Fancy another or -?”

“Or?” Liam repeats, quirking up an eyebrow.

Zayn’s cheeks burn even redder when he shrugs away from Liam. “C’mon. Let’s dance?”

+*

This is what Zayn likes about going out. The dim lights, the music pounding in his ears, the mix of perfumes, colognes and sweat filling his nose from the people around him. The unfamiliar hands dragging up his belly and a hard body pressed against his own.

He likes flings more so than anything else, one nighters that don't lead to a call back in the morning because he doesn't want anyone to stay too long and see how the shy and awkward Zayn always falls into.

He likes lips grazing against his skin, leaving marks that stay for a few days because he likes feeling like he belongs to someone as long as the feeling fades away after those few days too. He likes the rough press of fingertips and a cock grinding against his bum with a desperate plea in his ear for them to take this somewhere else.

Liam is none of those things, and it makes his heart thud faster than the fast beat they work their hips to, because Zayn is quite sure he likes that even more. Normally he has no problem approaching other men for a dance or more, and he doesn't want to focus on why Liam feels so different.

Liam's lips hover over his skin, never pressing down but moving as if he is whispering the lyrics. His fingers aren't rough but gentle, massaging up his belly and slipping against his hips, never pressing in too hard and maneuvering easily when Zayn guides them to where he wants.

He can feel the thick of Liam's length when the beat slows, his hips rocking back against Liam's in the opposite direction. It makes his own cock ache and he craves to guide Liam's hand to between his legs, but Liam isn't pressing Zayn to take it somewhere else, even though he has been hard for three songs, at least. He wants Liam to make the first move, too nervous to do it himself.

Liam's lips press a bit closer to Zayn's neck, vibrating against his skin before he pulls them away completely. Zayn links their fingers on his belly, resting his head back against Liam's shoulder in fear of Liam pulling away.

His cock fucking pulses, aches under his briefs and he shivers when he slips Liam's hand lower, hovering over the waistband that peeks out from the top of his jeans out of instinct. He grips his teeth at his bottom lip, turning around before he is unable to resist the temptation to have Liam touch him.

Because as much as he wants to take Liam out of here, he doesn't. He doesn't want Liam to regret it afterwards or fall back into that tense, awkward Liam from earlier because Zayn still can’t figure out why Liam approached him for a dance - even after what he said about seeing him around campus.

(Which keeps wracking through Zayn’s mind, because it seems wild to him that the both of them have fancied the other from afar and they are just now meeting. Harry was right, he will have to thank Niall later.)

Liam's eyes are dark, lip trapped between his teeth as he cups a hand around the back of Zayn's neck. It warms arousal down his spine, his grip tightening on Liam’s denim shirt as he pulls him closer, so their chests stitch together.

A spark ignites between them, and Zayn knows it is probably the twitch of his cock that makes the crowd fade from his vision, his attention focused on the way Liam licks his lips and his own craving to taste them too. He arches his head forward, lips hovering over Liam’s like a tease, but really he is battling with himself to pull away or to press closer.

It is amazing to him how he can be so shy when he has to talk to someone, but like this he has confidence. He knows he is beautiful, and he knows he is good at making people feel good, but with Liam, his confidence doesn’t feel as genuine, and he wants to hold onto the mask as long as he can -

“Zayn!”

Zayn rips away from Liam when Harry’s voice fills his ear and a hard hand comes clapping onto his shoulder. Liam keeps a hold on him, hands steady at his hips but he stops dancing as he too looks at Harry.

Harry is drunk, eyes practically closed and his face redder than how his boyfriend’s gets. An amused grin covers his lips, pushing into his cheekbones and he relaxes all of his weight into Zayn’s side.

“Can we go home? Wanna shag my -” Harry snickers at himself, sliding an arm around Zayn’s shoulders. “Wanna shag my boyfriend.”

+*

Liam wishes he had drank more, instead of spending so much time wrapped around Zayn because it has only made his thoughts more nervous as they stumble inside behind the other boys. Harry is wrapped around Niall’s back, attempting to be quiet but Liam can hear every dirty thing that rolls off his tongue. Louis makes disgusted noises, gagged sounds and wretching, which makes Zayn do that stupid giggle thing that makes his nose wrinkle.

It drives Liam a bit mad, making his fingers dig into his skin where he still hold his hips, pulling him flush to his chest. Arousal surges through him, feeling hard to control as he wraps around Zayn. He chuckles lightly to ease the tension through him, dragging his smile against Zayn’s jaw.

Zayn hums, turning around in his arms as their roommate’s voices fade as they make their way to the hallway. They have fallen far behind, still in the living room with Zayn’s fingers tugging at Liam’s shirt as he walks them back towards the wall.

Liam lets him go when he plasters him against the wall and leans his forearms on it, encasing Zayn’s head between them. He watches the other man lick his lips again and at this point, Liam isn’t sure if it is a habit anymore or something done on purpose to tease.

“Liam,” Zayn murmurs softly, tickling his fingers around to his lower back. He is beautiful, really, those dark eyes looking up at him through the thick of his eyelashes. His hair has fallen in in front of his forehead, reminding Liam of a younger Bradford - just starting out his show. His hair had been all black, until a few months after the show started and he appeared with blond streaked in the front. It is strange hearing him say his name instead of Wolfie, but Liam wants to make him say it over and over, whispered and breathless, or high pitched and bouncing off of the walls.

“Hm?” Liam mutters, tensing some when he hears a door open in the hallway. He doesn’t care too much if his roommates walk in on them, he just desperately wants to press his lips to Zayn’s finally, even if he will never live it down with Louis and Niall, who are relentless when it comes to teasing Liam about his relationships, or his one offs.

Zayn pushes forward, off of the wall with his hands firm on Liam’s back to keep him from stumbling. He drags his quirked up lips against Liam’s cheek, tickling against his skin before Liam can feel his warm breath at his ear.

“Thank you for the dance, babe.”

+*

Zayn whimpers, brows pushing together as he works back against his fingers. He is trying to be quiet, just in case one of his roommates decide to come home. They all said they were going to be gone for awhile, but the moans rattling in his chest are going to be loud and he has to be careful -

He has been hard since the night before practically, with Liam’s hard body continuing to press against his back and strong fingers rubbing at his belly as they made their way to the car. It had been hard not to drag Liam to his room last night after they stumbled in from outside, Liam’s hands still gripping onto him and eyes planted on Zayn’s lips even though the other boys were around.

He wanted to wait to get off until the show, but it had made the day seem maddeningly slow. Zayn had practically flew into his room when Liam, the last one here, had left for wherever he mumbled he was going when he walked out of the apartment. He had been awkward all day, barely looking at Zayn or talking to him like earlier and Zayn knows it must be because of last night. Either he regretted it or was hurt that Zayn had slipped away from him when it felt like they were going to kiss -

It is almost time for the show, and he considers starting early because it is maddening the way his cock twitches and leaks against his navel as he rolls back against his fingers. He can’t quite get the right angle to fuck himself deeper, and he is starting to get desperate for the dildo waiting beside him.

Zayn lets out a desperate sound, sliding his palm up the back of his thigh to pull it to his chest, fingers grazing over that ball of nerves that drags a shiver through him. His legs quake, toes digging into the sheets and he slips his fingers away from himself as quickly as he can to tangle them in the sheets, tugging himself away from the edge he wished he hadn’t been so quick to get to.

He lays on the bed, catching his breath before he climbs out of the sheets to get dressed in something he can strip off easily. It waits for him on his desk, making his heart beat heavily in his chest as he fingers the soft material before he tugs it on.

He logs on right before the scheduled time, needing to keep up his reputation of always being on time. The username, BradfordBadBoy always makes him grin, because he knows it is corny but he likes it. It has been two years, but it feels like a lifetime ago that he had started this, no longer holding onto that boyish charm that he had started with.

“I’ve got something special for you,” Zayn tells them, letting his voice drop an octave when he sees his viewers start to log on. He eyes the chat box, waiting for his favorite username before he starts. “Got me’self all loose before I logged on -”

Zayn palms himself through his joggers even though they can’t see yet. He just needs the pressure, to calm the buzz running through him but it does little to help. The soft material of his panties make adrenaline rush through him every time he shifts against the material and spreads red across his chest because he is a bit shy about showing them off, but he had bought them months ago and has yet to wear them. He just hopes he lasts long enough to make paying for the show worth it.

(Even though he is pretty sure his viewers would be happy no matter what he does, as long as he pulls his dick out).

“Couldn’t help me’self,” he sighs, letting his lips quirk up when he sees _Wolfie93_ finally log on, arriving later than normal. “Nearly nutted off in my joggers a few times waiting for tonight.”

The music plays quietly through the room, loud enough to hopefully block out his noises, but hopefully quiet enough that his viewers will still be able to hear. It makes him chuckle softly when he hears and _I’ll admit baby, I’m a little camera shy -_

Because Zayn isn’t as shy like this, lip caught between his teeth and fingers trailing against his neck, teasing the hundreds of people watching him that he can't see. He talks a little bit as he scooches out of his chair, pushing it off to the side to reveal the length of his bed and the toys that lay scattered across it. He isn’t quite sure if they can see them, not until the chat box is a rush of messages.

“That’s not the surprise,” Zayn whispers with a laugh, taking a step back. He left his desk lamp on instead of just relying on his computer light this time, so he can be seen from a distance.

His cock pulses against his panties, soaking through them as his heart beats heavy in his chest. His thumbs catch on his joggers as he pulls up, easing them off his hips that twist and roll to the slow rhythm of the music. _You can meet me in the room where the kisses aren’t free -_

Zayn groans roughly when he eyes the stretch of the fabric, the way it darkens around the head. His thighs tense as he shivers, slipping the joggers the rest of the way down. He slides a palm across the muscles that bulge out on his belly from the way he dances before dipping them lower. He teases at the band of the material before guiding his hand over himself, squeezing gently at the base with a shuddered breath so the audience can see.

“Like ‘em?” Zayn says, looking up through his eyelashes at the camera lens. He takes a step closer, turning to his side and arching his hips back so they can see the way the red fabric stretches across his bum, arching over the curve and showing off the small swell of his cheeks.

_Wolfie93: fuck u look beautiful_

Zayn feels his cheeks grow warm and he nibbles at his bottom lip, reading the message through a stream of people asking him to take them off.

“They’re soft,” he says lowly, dragging his fingers against his length. He pulls his eyes away from the screen to watch himself tug gently at the band, making the tip of his prick peek out the side. He slides his thumb against the slit, groaning quietly. “And wet.”

That familiar feeling of adrenaline rushes through him as he teases off the material, even though he is careful not to touch himself too much. It is mad how sensitive he is, just from trying to hold onto the memory of Liam’s body planted against his the night before.

The width of his hands, the strength of his fingertips. The expert way he knew how to move his hips, the hard press of his chest contrasting with how gentle the press of his lips were - nothing more than a breeze against his skin, barely there but Zayn wants to hold onto how warm his skin had felt underneath them.

He grabs his computer with shaky hands, stumbling across the carpet eagerly and letting out a soft giggle as he plops onto his bed.

_Wolfie93: I'm kind of in love with the sound of your laugh_

Zayn snorts as he reads the comment, placing the computer between his legs. He curls loose fingers around himself and slides the pad of his thumb across the head, trying to distract himself from the warmth that settles in his chest.

"Yeah, Wolfie?" He breathes around a grin. "Wanna watch me laugh or come?"

Zayn groans when his response pops up, his thumb rolling the precome that leaks from the tip around the swollen head. It feels so intimate talking to Wolfie, even if it is very far from it.

_Wolfie93: wanna make u do both_

His heart thumps heavily in his chest as he reaches for the plastic cock waiting for him. There is a shake in his fingers, one that only comes with that desperate feeling that drags through him.

"You do," Zayn murmurs, hoping Wolfie knows what he means before he brings the toy into view. He drags his tongue purposefully slow across his bottom lip, groaning low in his throat as he moves himself into position.

He digs his knees into the mattress once he is turned around, the base of the dildo steadied between his legs. He slicks his fingers as he arches his hips forward, wiggling his bum for the camera before he reaches behind him.

Feeling the thick against his palm makes him moan, his cock leaking out where it curves heavy between his legs. Liam sticks to the back of his eyelids as he flutters his eyes shut, imaging him laid underneath him, his strong hands pulling him back down against his cock.

"Fuck," Zayn breathes, unsure whether or not his audience can hear him. He slides his slick fingers against his hole, easing them in slowly to show them he wasn't lying about being ready. He smears his fingers through the lube collected at his hole, spreading himself with two fingers so they can see.

He wonders if Liam takes it slow, if he would drag it out and take his time prepping Zayn. If he would mouth at his hips and talk to him the way Wolfie93 does. It would drive him mad, probably, no matter how much he likes to be teased normally.

Zayn grabs the toy again, nudging it against his hole. He feels like he is going mad now, his body tensing as he pushes past the rim. Not from pain or discomfort, but from trying to keep himself from rushing like he wants to, from the pulse of arousal through him that makes him grip too tightly around the base.

He lets out harsh breaths as he eases himself down, trembling at the way his hole stretches around the plastic. He wonders if Wolfie wishes it were him easing inside of Zayn instead, if he has a hand wrapped around himself at the thought or at the way Zayn looks, cheeks spread and hole clenching around the dildo. He tries to imagine it, but Wolfie’s face falls into Liam’s so easily.

Zayn arches his back, peering over his shoulder to make sure the camera captures him properly before he works his hips back, gently easing down on the dildo. He tries to hold in the sound bundled in his throat, but it pushes past his lips, shattered and quiet.

“God, it feels good,” he shudders out, grinding down as he bottoms out. It is harder than he thought to ride the dildo on his shaky bed, and it is frustrating the ache in his arm as he twists them behind him to hold it still as he pulls up.

“Fuck,” Zayn gasps out, leaning forward some with a palm pressing into the mattress to brace himself as he fucks the dildo back past his rim. He loses his ability to go slow, not caring about the sting that comes from the rough way he strokes the prick in.

His moans bounce off the walls, mixing in with the squeak of his bed and the slick sound that seems deafening to him. He wonders if Liam will lose some of that gentleness when he spreads Zayn across the sheets, if he will fuck into him with rough strokes and fingers twisted into his hair. If he would like if Zayn begged for it -

“Close,” Zayn grunts out, flopping onto his back in probably a not so graceful way before pushing up onto an elbow. He pulls his legs towards his chest, watching the way the camera captures the slick of his hole, the tight of his balls and the way his cock leaks out strings of precome across his belly. “Tell me I can come?”

He teases the dildo against himself, not pushing in as he waits for Wolfie’s comment to pop up. It is instant, the way he wraps a hand around his length before he finishes reading, overwhelmed by him.

_Wolfie93: be a good boy n let me see u come_

“Fuck,” Zayn groans, clenching his eyes shut as his fist blurs over his cock, his other hand gripping too tightly around the dildo he doesn’t have the patience to position himself to use again. White sparks at the back of his eyelids, his belly clenching violently as he coats his belly and thighs - making a proper mess of himself with the sloppy way he strokes off.

He bites hard on his bottom lip, the sounds in his throat coming out rough and muffled as his orgasm rocks through him. He feels overheated, his skin burning and sweat dripping down the back of his neck and pooling around his the curves of his belly.

_Wolfie93: fuck ur a mess babe its beautiful_

Zayn huffs out an overwhelmed laugh, pumping out the last few drops of come that makes a tremble run through him. It does little to ease the tension wrapped around his bones like it is supposed to, and he feels like he is ready to work himself up for a second time.

“See?” Zayn breathes, sliding his shaky come coated fingers across his thighs, through the drops of come already lingering to his skin there. “I think I broke me’self a little.”

_Wolfie93: u defo broke me_

Zayn giggles, a warmth filling his chest as it rises and falls quickly. That normal calm doesn’t wrap around him like it normally does after he orgasms, and it is frustrating because he just needs to get Liam out of his system.

He is interrupted by the distant, muffled sound of the front door closing, followed by the familiar sound of Niall’s laughter and Zayn sighs in disappointment.

“There goes my alone time,” Zayn whispers with a grin tugging at his lips. “Was gonna come a second time, but maybe I’ll save it for the next show?”

There is a stream of comments telling him to stay on, but Zayn ignores them, focusing on the sound of Niall’s voice getting louder, his _Liam, why didn’t ye answer the phone_ sounding like it is right outside his door, or probably right outside of Liam’s and the bolded letters that tell him Wolfie93 logged off before Zayn has the chance to message him.

+*

Zayn yawns, scratching his fingers against his belly as he shuffles into the kitchen. It is the first day of classes, and he is already hating the early mornings. But it was the only time he could get one of the classes he needed to take and he didn’t want to pay for summer courses, so he is stuck taking an extra class this semester.

He aches from the night before, the way his muscles had been so tense as he fucked down on the dildo. He had wrapped a hand around himself after he had closed out of the video, milking out the rest of the tension that lingered through him. It hadn't taken long, squirming on the sheets for only a handful of seconds before he came with Liam's name on his tongue.

His morning brightens when he eyes the tanned skin of Liam’s back and the stretch of muscles running down it, the way they dance under the skin stretching across his shoulders. Zayn grins slightly, eyes lingering to where his back dips right above the shorts he wears. His hair is a fluff of a mess at the top of his head, eyes heavy with sleep as he sips at his tea and turns towards Zayn.

“Morning,” Zayn murmurs, reaching past him for a coffee mug. He lets their bodies graze, just craving the feel of Liam’s skin against his own since he thinks about it too often. He clearly didn’t get Liam out of his system last night, because his voice drops into something husky and he feels that familiar feeling of confidence he gets right before he brings someone into his bed.

Nerves still linger and he isn't sure if it is okay, especially when he feels Liam tense immediately, eyes widening before pulling away from him. He murmurs something indecipherable before padding out of the kitchen and leaving Zayn there, frowning in his wake. It is overwhelming the way how that confidence slips away from him, replaced by a familiar feeling that isn’t as welcomed.

+*

A groan rips from his throat, his head knocking against the hard tile of the shower wall. The warm water pelts against his back, soothing out some of the tension in his muscles. He rubs his fingers against his eyebrows, trying to catch his breath but it feels as something has wrapped itself around his lungs.

 _Fuck_ , Liam can't get the image of Zayn from last night out of his head, the red of his panties against his tanned skin, the way his cock looked so obscene pressed against them. The way he had looked so close to coming before he even took them off. He had been beautiful, fucking down on the plastic prick, exposing himself to the camera without shyness, the moans he let out that had made him sound like he had been desperate to get off the moment he started the show.

He had been doing so well at trying not to think about it (not really), until Zayn had pressed against him in the kitchen and Liam could smell the clean scent of his soap and his morning cigarette. His husky voice so similar to the way he had talked to him last night, unaware of who he was talking to. It makes it even more exciting, arousing, and Liam swears something is wrong with him because of it.

Liam lets out a frustrated noise before he wraps a hand around himself, giving into the arousal that throbs through him. He braces himself against the wall with his forearm and muffles the sounds rolling off of his tongue against it as his fist blurs over his cock.  

He ignores the part of his brain telling him this is weird, and instead focuses on the thought of Zayn clenching around him, tense and quaking as he works himself back onto Liam's cock. The spread of ink across his chest and the way his skin burns red right before he comes. He shouldn't know these things about his roommate, but he craves to experience them, to walk out the shower and drag Zayn back into it with him.

He bites into his arm, hips fucking into his fist as he trembles. He wants to know if Zayn likes it rough, manhandled across the sheets with soft kisses pressed to his lips. He seems like he does, always pinching bruises into his skin and tugging at his nipples. That one time he gripped his own arsecheek hard enough that there were probably finger shaped bruises there the next day.

He imagines how small Zayn felt pressed against him, even though they are roughly the same size, the way his hips looked under his palms. How warm his body was, the way his eyes fell shut when Liam hovered his lips over his skin. The way he moved Liam's hand lower like he needed Liam to touch him but wasn't sure how to ask for it.

Liam comes hard, milking out across the wall as his teeth bite harder into his arm to muffle the moan in his throat. His muscles feel like they could snap from the force of tension through them, making his legs shake and his body press hard into the wall to hold himself up.

“Fuck,” Liam whispers to himself, clenching his eyes closed as a bit of guilt runs through him. He had logged off last night before Zayn could message him after like he normally does because of the guilt, and even though it had been a good thing because Niall had called him, he had felt even more guilty thinking he might of hurt Zayn’s feelings. It is one of the things Liam looks forward too most about his shows, and he isn’t sure when it started but it made him feel special, really.

He holds himself there, until he softens and the tension seeps away from him. Until the water loses some of its heat and Louis is banging on the door with a _what are you doing in there? Whacking off?_

“Shove off,” Liam yells, reaching for the bottle of shampoo, unsure of who it belongs to but he had ran into the shower so fast that he had forgotten his in his room. “I’ll whack off in your conditioner!”

Louis bangs roughly on the door, yelling out something obscene but Liam swears he can hear the sound of Zayn’s laugh through it.

+*

Zayn cocks his head forward, adjusting his lens as he focuses on the burst of art in front of him. Vibrant colors stretching across the brick wall, formed into bold letters and chubby drawings of motorbikes and aliens. A blond girl leans against it, head turned away from him and hands shoved deep into the pockets of her jean jacket.

He snaps the photo before changing the angle, trying to find the best lighting and snapping another. He is on the side of the art building, sat on a bench crafted in the wood shop probably. He likes it here the most, taking in the new etchings on the wall or the new pieces put on display in the windows in the front of the building. He needs something for his bare walls too, and he is thinking about making a collage of photos on one of them.

His next class starts in about ten minutes, and there is not enough time between the last and the next to actually do much else than sit and watch the people around him. Or call his mother, but he has already done that twice today and the more he calls, the more he misses home.

Zayn moves his camera slowly, passing over the kid with bright red hair who always sits in front of an abstract metal statue in the middle of the entrance way with a guitar in his lap, to the bundle of trees lining up the sidewalk behind him. He has taken enough shots of them over the last few years that he breezes over them, making a mental note to take some when they colors start to change because that always makes the breath catch in his throat.

He does lose his breath a little as he scans the camera slowly over a small group of people crowded a few yards away from the student with the guitar, between this building and the Business Building. He shakes his head, eyes clenching closed as he moves the camera away from them. It is laughable, how easily Liam’s face pops up into his head at the tiniest of thing. Like another brown haired boy in a leather jacket -

Zayn goes back to the crowd, feeling like a proper creep when he angles the camera back onto Liam. It is definitely Liam, because he can see Niall’s red face in front of him and the scruff coating Liam’s jaw when he turns his head to blow out smoke away from Niall’s face.

Zayn brings his camera away from his face to look at Liam, even though he itches to take a photo because that is exactly the type of aesthetic he is looking for in his collage. His heart pounds heavy in his chest, his mind still wracking with how weird Liam had seemed this morning and the day before. Zayn thought they had made a breakthrough from their first awkward encounter, that Liam meant what he said about seeing Zayn around on campus, but maybe Liam just wanted a dance and regretted it.

He watches Niall wave him over with a loud 'Zayner!' It catches Liam's attention, making him look over his shoulder for only a moment before he rips his eyes away.

Zayn stands up begrudgingly, padding across the stone towards where their group is. There are a few people he kind of recognizes from knowing Harry, but he struggles to remember their names.

"Wanna get summat to eat with us?" Niall asks, clapping him on he shoulder as he nears. "This is Andy, Ollie -"

Zayn ignores the introductions and eyes Liam as he stares down at his clunky brown boots, shrugging him some. His presence clearly makes Liam uncomfortable. Maybe he had wanted something more that night at the bar, and was disappointed Zayn hadn’t given it to him.

"Class," Zayn says, thankful his excuse isn't a lie. The thought makes his chest heavy, because Liam had felt different to him than people who normally expect something more from him. "And then I have work after, but um, thank you for the invite."

"The bookshop right?" Niall asks, genuinely interested with a cock of his head. He crosses his arms, wearing another one of Harry’s gray sweaters. Zayn can tell by the way it hangs off his shoulders and hides his fingers.  

"Nialler," Liam interrupts with a pinched voice before Zayn can answer. "I gotta run inside and see that professor about the camera. I'll meet you at Julian's?"

Niall waves him off, still looking at Zayn for a response. Liam only glances at them for a moment before he drops his cigarette and stubs it out.

"Yeah, the bookshop," Zayn mumbles, watching Liam walk away, his hands shoving deep into the pockets of his jacket. "Everything okay with him?"

Niall shrugs. "Probably just tired. M'tellin you, the lad never sleeps."

+*

Liam inhales deep, dragging a hand down his face. He feels stupid about being so nervous to talk to Zayn. He knows he has seemed off, that Zayn is expecting him to be at least a bit more friendlier toward him after the other night at the bar, but that is because he had been struggling all day on whether or not to watch his show. He had convinced himself he wasn’t going to, but he ended up on Bradford’s page like it was something he had no control over.

Zayn's door is cracked open, and he can see him sitting at his desk, laptop opened in front of him. He exhales before he knocks quietly on the door, making Zayn jerk from his seat.

Liam nibbles at his bottom lip when Zayn comes into focus, his hair ruffled like he had been dragging his fingers through it. He wears a loose shirt that cut offs before the belly button, and his joggers hang low enough that he can see the coating of ink on his hips, the hard of muscle covering his belly, and that thick hair trailing down his navel.  

Liam flushes, pulling his eyes up to look at Zayn's hesitant face and trying not to focus on the fact that he is pretty sure Zayn isn't wearing underwear. "Are you busy?"

"No?" Zayn says, quirking up an eyebrow as he knocks his shoulder against the door frame and crosses his arms. He is only a few inches away from him, and Liam has to squeeze his fingers into a fist to keep himself from touching him like he craves to.

Just a small touch, of any kind. A tickle of the fingers, a slide of the palm - he just craves to know how warm Zayn's skin is normally. It is just incredibly inappropriate, but so was watching Zayn last night, even after knowing who he was. But Liam is a touchy feely person, everyone knows it. There is just something comforting about touching someone, even innocently.

“So I - Harry mentioned that you had a film camera?” Liam says, sliding a hand around the back of his neck to ease his nerves. “And um, the ones at school are all rented out and er - I just -”

“Yeah,” Zayn says quickly, taking a step back. He turns around, leaving Liam in the entranceway to his room as he pads over to the far corner where Liam spots his cameras.

His room is a bit of a mess, the sheets rumpled on his bed and his comforter on the floor in front of it. It makes Liam flush, thinking about how Zayn had squirmed over them the night before and he drags his eyes away from it, but it only gets worse -

Zayn’s laundry basket sits beside his bed and Liam eyes the red material that peeks out from underneath a shirt. He tells himself it could be anything, but the image of Zayn in those fucking panties pops into his head again.

Liam shifts awkwardly, swearing at himself for the way his cock twitches against his briefs. He coughs, clearing his throat and Zayn looks over his shoulder with a curious look.

“Come in,” Zayn says, waving him over. It is a bad idea, because Liam already feels intrusive just standing in the doorway. “I’ve got a couple you can use. Tell me which one you need?”

“Um,” Liam hesitates, taking a step into the room. Zayn’s brows furrow, the corners of his lips tugging downwards as he glares at him.

“I don’t bite,” he mutters defensively.

Guilt fills Liam again. He has to stop being so awkward around him, but it feels impossible with those images refusing to leave his mind.

“I actually don’t know anything about ‘em. Like, even how to work them.”

Zayn picks up a small camera, one that reminds him of the video camera his father always had at his birthday parties. “A simple camcorder you reckon? Easy enough? Just press a couple buttons -”

Liam shrugs, taking a step closer to Zayn. “Um, could you help me? Like, help me film it?"

Zayn’s eyes widen, his cheeks flushing a bright red color that makes Liam panic for a moment, like he is overstepping. But it is probably just because his signals are so back and forth and -

“I’m sorry,” Liam says quickly as Zayn’s lips part to respond. “For acting so weird again and then asking you to help me.”

Zayn hands him the small camera hesitantly. “I’m used to people acting weird towards me. S’alright, mate.”

Liam frowns this time, watching the way Zayn looks away from him and back towards his cameras, laid out on shelves attached to the wall that hadn’t been there before.

“It is because I want to kiss you,” Liam blurts. It is his way around lying, he tells himself. Because it is true, but not the only reason and he just wants to do anything he can to get that look off of Zayn’s face. “Um, like a lot but I don't want it to be er - weird, since we just met.”

Zayn’s lips quirk up even though he purses them together, as if he is trying to stop himself from smiling. The rush of red on his face rises towards his hairline as he eyes Liam through his eyelashes.

“Well, if I’m helping, then I guess we can use a better camera.”

Liam exhales out, reaching out to tickle Zayn’s belly - a habit of his, before he remembers the shirt and the bare of his skin. He tugs at the shirt a bit instead, feeling his cheeks burn as Zayn looks at him.

“Ehm, I like this,” Liam manages, ignoring the part of his brain telling him to shut up. He likes flirting, and he has already dropped the _I want your lips on mine_ bomb, even if Zayn changed the subject. “By the way.”

Zayn rubs a thumb at the corner of his lips, teeth sliding down against the bottom one. “Just a black shirt, mate.”

Liam snorts, grazing his knuckles against Zayn’s belly as he fingers the fabric. His breath catches in his lungs at how warm his bare skin is, how hard the muscles coating his belly are. “Yeah, well.”

His hand falls when Zayn hands him a camera much larger than the last. There is a look in his eyes that Liam can’t quite put a name too, but it makes something twist in his belly.

“Maybe we can get one for you,” Zayn goes on, amusement in his voice and it is surprising how quickly it relaxes Liam. “Something for you to wear for that commercial. I bet that will bring business to your shop.”

"I work shirtless," he teases, walking back towards the door. "Get sweaty, you know."

Zayn swipes his tongue against his bottom lip as he comes closer. "Doesn't sound too safe." His fingers slide against his belly where Liam’s fingers had been as he gives Liam a considerate look. “But I’m sure you are careful, since you’re the type not to kiss people you just met and all.”

It isn’t rude but playful, making Liam reconsider leaving Zayn’s room and keep up with the flirty banter. “Maybe I just said that so you’ll let me get to know you, chill with me sometime.”

That look of playfulness on Zayn’s face slips away, being replaced by that nervousness that had been on his face when they first met. “Yeah, sometime.”

+*

Liam crosses his arms over his face, wishing the music in his ear could drown out the sounds from the other side of the wall. It won’t, and he made sure the music was low enough so he could hear because clearly he loves the torture of it all.

He wants badly to pull out his laptop from where it is hidden in his desk and see what Zayn is doing to make him make those noises, but he resists, even if it feels like he might break because of it.

Zayn knows he is here, he reminds himself even though it only makes it worse. Right before Zayn had disappeared into his room, Liam had told him how he was headed to bed as well. He doesn’t know if Zayn is unable to be quiet or if he thinks he is, but Liam can hear every moan through their thin wall.

Maybe he gets off on it, or maybe he told the viewers that his awkward and desperate roommate is on the other side of the wall. Liam is getting off on it, his cock throbs underneath his briefs and his hips keep grinding up against the material, out of his control and as if that is enough friction to get him off. It isn’t, but Liam refuses to wrap a hand around himself.

“Fuck,” Liam groans as he hears Zayn let out a high pitched moan, choked sounding like he does as he orgasms. Liam wonders if he noticed Wolfie93 wasn’t logged on, if it hurt his feelings because he doesn’t want to he just -

It is wrong. He wants to get to know Zayn and has always wanted to get to know Bradford, and doesn’t want to ruin it if he gets the chance to.

Liam rolls out of bed, reaching for his leather jacket hanging on the back of his desk chair and the pack of cigarettes on his desk before he pads out of his bedroom, making sure to be quiet so Zayn isn’t aware of him being awake and agitated.

He doesn’t like smoking in his room, or inside anywhere really. It keeps him from smoking too much, and it gives him an excuse to walk around when he gets restless at night. The air is cool against his too warm skin, making him shiver slightly and probably waking him up when he should just try to go to sleep. Especially since it is nearing two and he has to wake up early to open the garage.

The front door to their apartment building opens before Liam can bring the flame to his cigarette. Zayn gives him a sheepish look as he closes the door, his face flushed and hair sweaty and what the fuck.

“Lost my lighter,” Zayn mutters, his lips quirking up. He has on a pair of loose black joggers and a Nike hoodie zipped up to his chin. He looks soft, cuddly even with how heavy his eyes look and the lazy grin on his lips. “Mind?”

Liam hands it to him, gulping down thickly as Zayn comes closer. He has imagined Bradford before, after he has closed out of the show, curled up against his chest and a tired look on his face. Liam likes to cuddle after a shag, and the way Zayn looks right now makes him fully aware of how hard it would be to not wrap his arms around Zayn afterwards.

“Sorry if I’m bothering you,” Zayn murmurs, handing it back to him. He grimaces slightly, shifting on his feet. “If you er - wanted to be alone.”

“No,” Liam says, fiddling with the cigarette instead of lighting it like he had wanted to a moment ago. Zayn doesn’t seem like the type to get off loudly and then come confront Liam about it, but Liam is having a hard time reading what kind of person Zayn is at all. He seems so confident, yet so nervous, fluctuating back and forth so quickly that Liam isn’t sure what to make of it. “I like to smoke outside.”

Zayn keeps his eyes on him as he lights up, tilting to his head to the side. “Even when it is cold?”

Liam shrugs, a grin tugging at his lips. “I’ve got me coat.”

Zayn huffs out a laugh, dragging a hand through his hair and messing it up more than it already is. “I’ve noticed. Any reason for always wearing it?”

“Makes me look fit, I reckon.”

Zayn’s tongue swipes against his teeth, giving him a crooked grin that Liam wants to wipe away with a hard press of his lips. “I reckon anything will.”

Liam keeps himself from sucking in a breath, trying to remain cool and confident like Zayn looks, with a smirk that wants to grow larger and bunch up his cheeks. “What do you think about nothing?”

Zayn rakes his eyes slowly down Liam’s torso, giving him a shrug but his lips quirk up even more as he drags the cigarette away from his lips. “I guess you will have to show me, sometime.”

“I’ll think about it,” Liam jokes, bringing his own back to his lips as an excuse not to say anything else, feeling at a lost for words because he just wants to kiss Zayn now.

Zayn’s grin fades away after a moment, the conversation dying out and eyes intent on Liam and that nervous look taking over his face again before he speaks. “My favorite color is green.”

Liam frowns. He isn’t sure what he had been expecting him to say, but it wasn’t that. “Oh?”

Zayn nods, eyes falling to his trainers as he toes at the ground. “Yeah, and my middle name is Javaad. I have three sisters.”

He glances back at Liam, grinning slightly as he takes a step closer. “Um, like, if you meant what you said about wanting to get to know me.”

Liam relaxes, warmth filling his chest. “I do.”

Zayn chuckles under his breath, nose wrinkling as he does so. “Alright.”

Liam nods, unable to keep his smile to himself as he breathes out his words. “Alright.”

+*

The garage isn’t far from their apartment, close enough that Liam usually walks to it, Zayn thinks. He doesn’t actually know if Liam is here, having tried not to be a snoop and look at his schedule on his desk (that he accidentally noticed when he was walking by to see if Liam was there).

"Liam!" The man Zayn had approached at the front desk turns to Zayn and indicates his head towards a car in the middle of the garage. Zayn can see the bulky brown boots and grease stained jeans poking out from the underneath on the side, and his heart leaps into his throat knowing it is Liam. The garage looks empty, only Liam’s car and on the far side of the garage. It is huge, really, and Zayn wonders how many people work here.

The wheels of the board Liam lays on scratch across the ground as he slides out, thick brows pushed together and hands going to slide against his jeans. The look disappears when he eyes Zayn, replaced by bright eyes and the quirk of his lips.

“Thank you,” Zayn says to the man - Paddy, according to his nametag. He had looked nice, but now he looks amused, nodding at Zayn before pulling his eyes away.

"Hey," Liam greets, pushing off of the ground when Zayn approaches. He pulls a handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe across his forehead and Zayn reckons he needs to borrow it from the rush of warmth that coats his skin.

Liam _would_ have a job that makes him look even more fit than he already does, even though Zayn thinks he would be just as fit with a blue apron wrapped around his waist or a McDonalds polo on. But there is just something about seeing the shirt stretch across his chest and his hands dirty, skin a bit sweaty and working on cars, even if Zayn really has never cared much about them other than having one to get him to work.

"Hey um," Zayn starts. He indicates his camera bag with a jerky shrug of his shoulder. "Your video? Is it a good time?"

Liam's lips push higher into his cheeks as he comes closer. He has a spot of grease or dirt on his cheek that he rubs the back of his hand at, and he might as well have cupped himself or something with the way Zayn's dick reacts. "Always a good time for you."

Zayn bites the inside of his lip as his smile threatens to be too big. The rapid change of reaction, from arousal to fond to Liam makes him feel a bit dizzy. "I'll remember that."

He follows Liam into the back, past the office and to a room full of lockers. Liam heads to one at the end, already opened and Zayn can see the black leather jacket hanging in the inside.

"Just gotta put on something clean," Liam tells him.

Zayn nods, shifting awkwardly as Liam fingers the collar of his shirt. The damp material clings to his back, his skin flushed and coated in a sheen of sweat. He tries not to eye where he can see the top of the curve of his bum from the low placement of his jeans on his hips, but he fails incredibly so.

He gulps when his eyes travel up the curve of Liam's spine, across the span of his shoulders. Sweat dampens the hair at the back of his neck, his fingers coming up to slide against the red skin there. He is aware of Liam saying something but he is _distracted_ -

"So," Liam says, dragging Zayn's eyes away from his skin. He looks over his shoulder, those obscenely red lips pushing out into a pout. "You don't mind helping, right?"

"Em, no," Zayn tells him. "You sure you weren't busy?"

Zayn regrets his question when Liam turns, showing off the strong of his chest and the bulge of muscles across his abdomen. That sharp V that disappears underneath the band of his jeans and drives Zayn a bit crazy with images of mouthing at the skin there.

"No," Liam says with a grin sliding across his lips. "Was just mucking around to look busy. M' too tired to work today. Didn't sleep much last night, and we are slow so."

Zayn feels his face flush with embarrassment, he knows he hadn't been quiet when he imagined Liam's strong hands cradling his hips during his show the night before. And it had been quiet and a bit awkward when they were outside, but he thinks it is because he felt kind of silly spitting out little facts about himself while they smoked, but Liam had listened intently, asking questions until they ended up just standing out there with cigarette buds littering the ground before Zayn suggested they go in.

"Same," Zayn coughs, wishing Liam would just put on a shirt already so he doesn't give into the way his prick is trying to convince him to press Liam against the lockers.

Liam's cheeks burn red before he turns away and reaches into his locker, pulling out a black and red plaid shirt that Zayn has seen in the flat before.

“After we smoked?”

Liam nods, shrugging some. “Took me awhile.”

"What were you doing?"

Liam looks down at where his fingers deftly work up the buttons of his shirt. "Listening to music. I just don't really sleep well."

Zayn nibbles on his bottom lip, quirking up a brow. "Maybe you need a new bed or summat."

Liam grins, padding over to him even though his shirt isn't fully buttoned and Zayn can see the hair smeared across his chest. He reaches out, tickling his fingers above Zayn's belly. "Either someone to share it with or a smaller one, probably."

Liam's eyes are only on him for a moment before he walks past Zayn, towards the exit. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the owner."

 

Zayn has decided agreeing to help Liam is the worst decision he has ever made.

He can feel Liam pressing closer to his back, chin over Zayn's shoulder as he watches the owner of the garage on the small screen on the camera. It is unnecessary for them to be positioned like this but Zayn wants to sink back against his chest -

Liam's hand presses to his lower back, feeling huge against him as his fingers expand. It is just a small touch, but it feels as if Liam's skin is burning through the material of his shirt.

Zayn pauses the recording when Paddy, who Liam had introduced as his boss, ends his spiel about the shop. A spiel that Zayn has barely listened to.

Zayn turns then, far too aware of how close his face is to Liam's when he looks back at him. He wonders if Liam can feel the spark building between the two of them, or if it is just something he is imagining is there because he wants it to be there.

"Your turn?" Zayn offers, indicating the camera.

Liam's nose wrinkles when his brows push together. "Since technically I'm supposed to make the commercial, I don't reckon I should be in it."

Zayn grins, handing him the camera without thinking about it. He hesitates for a minute as Liam’s fingers reach for it, because this one was expensive and he rarely even uses it himself, but he sighs, passing it to Liam. "Then do summat or write my name in the credits."

Liam snorts, biting at his bottom lip. His fingers dig into Zayn's back slightly before he pulls them away and Zayn misses them instantly.

Zayn stands as close to Liam as he had been to him as he films his boss, placing his hand on Liam’s lower back like he had done - taking that as an okay to do it to. Except, and he pretends like it isn’t happening, he lets his fingers linger lower, right above the curve of his bum.

Liam had admitted to wanting to kiss him, to get to know him and Zayn can’t stop thinking about it. How soft Liam’s lips would be, if he would kiss him slow or hard, if it would only be a one time thing before they end up falling back into something awkward afterwards.

He wonders what he means exactly by getting to _know_ him, and if he really did mean it.

Liam looks over his shoulder with a soft grin, interrupting his thoughts. “Am I doing it right?”

Zayn bites around his smile as he nods. “Yeah, you hold that camera like a real pro.”

Liam frowns, but there is still a brightness in his eyes that he tries to narrow at him. “Shut up.”

Zayn pinches his skin gently, making Liam’s cheeks flush a pretty red before he looks away. He would have never guessed the man with the greaser complex would be so adorable, and it makes his chest feel funny with something he can’t quite put a name on.

“Come on,” Zayn murmurs as Paddy stops talking again and Liam stops the recording. “Let’s take some videos of the garage and the employees - you.”

“You just want to see me sweat,” Liam teases, handing Zayn the camera and sending Paddy a thumbs up.

Zayn can do this - this flirty banter. It isn’t as nerve wracking, if he can ignore the way his heart picks up the pace every time Liam looks at him. Because it feels like a lot more than just wanting to fuck about without any clothes on.

“Nah,” Zayn teases back, bringing the camera up like he is recording Liam. "But if you don't get the tape back, don't look at me."

Liam’s fingers come to tickle at his belly again, a habit Zayn isn’t sure he is going to be able to handle if he keeps it up. “I’ve stolen all of your shirts other than the crop top, so I reckon we’re even.”

Zayn snorts, shoving closer to Liam. He doesn’t care if they are roommates, or if that could be a complicated situation, because it feels like his lips might break if Liam’s are against his soon.

Paddy clears his throat, drawing Zayn’s attention away from Liam as he points to his office door, looking even more amused than before. “Wanna film the garage, now?”

“Good idea,” Liam mumbles, glancing at Zayn long enough before he heads off that Zayn can see the way his cheeks flush redder than his shirt.

+*

Liam shifts against the car he had been working on when Zayn had arrived, resting his weight on the bonnet as he watches Zayn. He is filming his coworker, bent over the front of a car as he points to the engine and talks to Zayn about it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Liam pulls his eyes away from Zayn to look at Paddy, who settles beside him on the car. There is a grin tugging at his lips, a knowing look in his eyes. He has known Paddy since he was little, an old friend of the family who had offered Liam a job at the garage when he first moved here for uni. He constantly talks about passing it down to Liam, since he runs the place when Paddy isn’t around.

“What?” Liam asks, frowning at him.

Paddy grins more, nodding towards Zayn who is far enough away that he probably can’t hear their conversation. He hopes. Paddy is a bit more discreet about his relationships than his dad, but he still likes to tease Liam about them. “Your boy.”

“Oh, I - “ Liam laughs awkwardly as he shakes his head. “No, my roommate.”

Paddy snorts, rolling his eyes. “Alright, son. Don’t tell me about it, but you have never been good at hiding things. I can see it on your face.”

Liam flushes, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “We just met, like before the semester started.”

Paddy pats him on the shoulder, laughing softly. “That’s faster than Dani.”

It isn’t mean, but Paddy had never liked her. Well, never liked the way Liam would come into work distracted from a fight before his shift and something about how Dani never looked at him the way he looked at her.

“That means I probably shouldn’t?” Liam asks quietly, glancing back at Zayn. He laughs at something his coworker says, eyes falling shut as his head tilts back. Liam hopes Paddy knows what he means, even if Paddy doesn’t know the extent of the situation.

Paddy shrugs. “I like this one. He looks at you the same.”

He shoves off the car then, patting Liam once more on the shoulder. “Go home early with your boy. I know you’ve just been walking around here trying to look busy and not doing much.”

Liam laughs, not denying it. Zayn looks at him then, a soft smile on his lips before he turns back towards the camera.

+*

“Thank you for helping me,” Liam says, knocking his shoulder against Zayn’s door frame as he hands his camera bag to him. The house is loud, since Louis invited the football team over after practice and they barely fit in their small living room.

“Anytime,” Zayn grins, placing the bag carefully on the floor by his feet. He is a few inches from Liam, close enough that he can smell the cologne that has been filling his nose all day and Liam wants to press against him and replace the scent with his own.

Zayn’s hand slides against his waist, a soft touch that makes Liam’s heart flip. “Do you think you know me well enough, yet?”

Liam bites hard around his grin, shrugging some. It had been something stupid to say, because he desperately wants to kiss Zayn, but he wants to stop thinking about _Bradford_ every time he is with Zayn before he does. “Maybe you should hang out with me again. You know, just to be sure.”

Zayn sighs like he is annoyed, but the amusement is still clear on his face. “Fine, I guess. If that is what it takes for you to kiss me.”

He has another show coming up, Liam knows. Which means another night of missing the way Zayn looks flushed and sweaty, another night of Liam torturing himself between watching and not watching, and hearing Zayn only a few feet away from him. He can’t stop thinking about it, dreading it really - even though it is a week away.

And he can’t help but feel the jealousy in him that comes from thinking about the four hundred other people that are going to be watching him. It has always bothered him, even though Bradford has always made it feel like he was there just for him. For _Wolfie_ -

“This Saturday,” Liam suggests, hoping he doesn’t look as guilty as he feels. “The others are going to some party, we could chill here like, watch a movie or summat.”

A panicked look crosses Zayn’s face for a moment before it is gone. “This Saturday?”

Liam nods, nibbling on his bottom lip. “Yeah, figured um - we could do something else, not so date like. Homework, that will be ace.”

Red crosses Zayn’s cheeks as his eyes widen and his lips part. His fingers dig into Liam’s hip as he searches Liam’s face. “A date?”

Liam flushes as well, shrugging awkwardly. He probably shouldn’t have said that, should have just shut up if he wanted Zayn to agree to hang out with him.

Zayn pushes forward, scraping his lips against Liam’s cheek, smiling big. “I’ll pick the movie.”

+*

_r we still on 4 tnt?_

Zayn looks at the message for awhile, fingers hovering over the keypad. The bookshop is quiet, the music playing softly overhead for the few people sat around with books in their laps. They technically are supposed to buy them first, but Zayn is too distracted to tell any of them that.

He has a show tonight, scheduled for eleven after the boys were supposed to leave for their party. He never cancels, ever. But Liam -

Their flirty banter has only gotten worse, the sexual tension building between them and he feels like he is going to snap soon if he doesn’t get to kiss Liam. Or touch Liam, or express the need to have his body against Liam’s soon.

He is too aware of the way Liam always touches him, small grazes of the fingers against his hips or that belly tickle Zayn feels like he should hate but he doesn’t. He is aware of the way Liam always leans closer to him when they speak, or chooses to sit beside him when they are all in the living room. The way he sits too close, pressed up against Zayn’s side and turned towards him, even if it isn’t him that he is speaking.

He isn’t sure if Liam just wants to fuck about, or really does care about the tiny bits of information of himself that he keeps sharing with the other man. Zayn knows sometimes guys do that, pretend to want to know you even if it is never mentioned as a requirement for sex. Zayn never cares, but he knows he would if it were Liam -

_yes cnt wait ! :)_

Zayn stares at what he writes before he hits send. His viewers will get over it, him cancelling one time. He much rather have someone actually in his bed than pretending there is someone there. Maybe it will finally get Liam out of his system, so he can stop worrying about the whole situation.

 

“ _That’s_ what you’re wearing?”

Zayn looks up from his desk, glaring at Harry who stands in his doorway, a frown on his face. He points to Zayn, waving his hand at Zayn’s outfit.

He wears another crop top, a loose one that hangs off his shoulders and shows off the ink spread across his collarbone. He plans on changing into jeans, though he can’t quite make up his mind on whether or not he should just keep the joggers on. Liam and him are just staying in, probably on the couch while they watch a movie and he wants to be comfortable, and he remembers how much Liam had liked the crop top.

And he hopes it makes Liam kiss him and more, okay?

Zayn sighs, turning back towards the textbook he has opened on the desk. “I’m not going to that party.”

Harry makes a disgruntled noise, walking into the room even though Zayn hasn’t invited him in. “Come on, please? You’ll have fun.”

“No,” Zayn mutters, feeling his face warm. “MstayinginwithLiam.”

Harry goes quiet, and when Zayn glances nervously over his shoulder, he sees his best mate’s lips parted, confusion making his brows push together. “Come again?”

“I’m staying in with Liam,” Zayn repeats slower and defensively, practically spitting the words at him.

The change in Harry’s face is instant, amusement and excitement taking over his confused look and it makes Zayn flush even more. He is never going to hear the end of it and it is probably payback for how badly Zayn had teased him whenever he would talk about Niall before they started dating.

“You guys are going to bang,” Harry says excitedly, clenching his fists together. “Or have you already? I see the way he looks at you mate, like he is seconds away from tearing your clothes off.”

“Shove off,” Zayn snaps, pushing up from his seat so he can guide Harry out of the room. Harry only laughs at him, eyes closing with the force of it. “Get out of my room.”

“Oh my god,” Harry laughs. “Dude, definitely do not change out of that.”

Zayn smiles fondly because he can’t help it. Harry is annoying and he loves him. “We are just going to watch a movie. Be quiet.”

Harry snorts, tugging at Zayn’s shirt like Liam had a week ago. “Sure, whatever. Netflix and chill, got it. Just take it in a bedroom.”

Zayn parts his lips to tell Harry to fuck off but he snaps them shut when he watches Liam walk past them, a grin on his lips as he glances at them and heads towards the bathroom.

Harry wiggles his eyebrows, making kissing noises like a child before Zayn slams the door on him.

+*

“Shrek?” Liam asks with a laugh, looking at the DVD that he had taken from Zayn.

“S’the second one,” Zayn clarifies haughtily, snatching the DVD back from him. “It was either that or Despicable Me.”

Liam snorts fondly, leaning back on the couch as Zayn gets up to put the DVD into the game box. “Good choice then, I reckon.”

They had moved out to the living room after Liam had given up on trying to work on his video, and it had been adorable the way he pouted about wanting to just hang out instead. He had cooked up a microwave pizza as Zayn dug through his movie collection, and covered the table in front of the couch with bags of chips and soda.

It had been comfortable until then, but now the nerves have returned as he settles back onto the couch. Is he sitting too close? Not close enough? Does he look as stiff as he feels? God, he probably hates the movie but Zayn has nothing but cartoons and family movies, having accidentally left his box of movies at home.

"This soundtrack," Liam starts, leaning towards him with his back pressed to the back of the couch. "Was all I listened to when I was like twelve."

Zayn giggles, relaxing some as he leans more into Liam's space. "It's ace. Boop boop boo boop boop."

Liam barks out a laugh, eyes crinkling closed around the corner as his mouth falls open and it warms Zayn's chest so much that there is no room left for him to feel embarrassed by his shitty attempt to sing Funkytown’s beat.

"That, and what was that one? I'm in love, I'm in love -"

"Accidentally in love, or summat."

Liam sighs as he nods. "Classic. What else do you listen to?"

Zayn shrugs. _Sex music_. “A bit of this and that, really. Been listenin’ to the Weeknd’s new album on repeat.”

The movie goes unwatched after that, with Liam curled towards him, eyes intent on him as he listens to Zayn ramble about himself, shooting out questions here and there, about where he is from, what his mum is like, and he talks about how much he misses his sisters.

Liam has an arm on the couch, fingers tickling at Zayn’s shoulders while he speaks and even though it is a little touch, Zayn feels like it is more -

"We're close," Zayn goes on fondly, shifting closer to Liam. He has a million stories he could tell him, unsure of which one to choose from. He craves to tell Liam about all of them. "The only reason I don't call them every day is because Safaa usually beats me to it."

"Home's not far, yeah? You can go see them a lot?"

Zayn shrugs. "S'hard to get rid of me once I get home."

Liam laughs, and it is more warm than making fun. He normally doesn’t like talking about his sisters to anyone other than Harry, because he can gush on about them for hours but Liam looks genuinely interested in them. "They sound great."

“So yeah,” Zayn coughs out. Their knees are touching where they are curled up on the couch, but they feel miles away from each other. “That’s pretty much all there is about me.”

Liam shakes his head as he slides his fingers against the back of Zayn’s neck. “No.”

Zayn frowns, feeling his cheeks warm at the way Liam’s eyes drop down to his lips. He has been doing it all night, and it is driving him mad because he just wants Liam to kiss him already. “What else?”

Liam shifts then, sliding his legs off of the couch as he scooches closer. A hand cups under Zayn’s thigh, tugging his leg onto Liam’s lap and Zayn doesn’t hesitate to throw the other over it as well. His heart races in his chest as Liam’s hand places pressure on the back of his neck, dragging him closer.

“I want to know,” Liam breathes, lips quirking up. “What your lips feel against mine?”

Zayn huffs out a laugh. “Not a bad chat up line, I reckon.”

Liam’s cheeks burn red as he rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything, but instead ducks his head forward. Zayn hates him for a moment as he hovers his lips over his own, remaining still until he makes a sound in his throat and closes the space.

Liam is soft with him, dragging his lips against Zayn’s like he is still unsure. He tilts his head as he slots their lips together, gaining a bit of confidence as Zayn loses his breath.

His lips are just as soft as Zayn imagined they would be, his fingers carefully carding through the hair at the back of his neck. He folds his own hand against Liam’s chest, feeling the warmth of his skin and the steady beat of his heart against his sternum. He thought he would burst when Liam finally kissed him, that he would kiss him hard and eager, caused by all the built up need and want for Liam, but he enjoys the calm that falls around them.

Liam pulls back for a moment as Zayn flutters his eyes open to take in his expression, the red of his cheeks and the warm look in his eyes. When he slots their lips back together it is harder, a bit more desperate, making Zayn scooch closer on the couch so he can curl an arm comfortably around Liam’s neck.

He groans when Liam’s tongue swipes along his bottom lip and he parts them, anticipation twisting in his belly as Liam’s tongue slides against his teeth. He tastes sweet, like the pop he has been sipping at while they spoke.

Liam’s fingers tangle in his hair as he tongue slides against his own, a sound rumbling in his throat as Zayn wraps his lips around his tongue, sucking it softly into his mouth. The movie is distant noise, the world around them fading away as he focuses on every place where their bodies touch, every sigh he lets out being met with a rumble of a groan from Liam.

Zayn pushes up, pulling away from Liam’s lips as he slides his legs off of Liam’s lap. Liam looks startled, frowning before Zayn climbs onto his lap. He doesn’t care if it is fast, he just -

“Need to touch more of you,” Zayn mutters, settling into his lap. Liam doesn’t look put off, but overwhelmed, wrapping his arms around Zayn’s lower back and tugging him closer. “Is that okay?”

Liam nods, eyes falling shut before Zayn can press their lips together again. Zayn hopes he means it as he guides Liam backwards to rest along the length of the couch, because it makes his heart pound that he finally has Liam’s hard body underneath his own, his large hands rubbing up his spine, smoothing across his bare skin and his tongue snaking back into his mouth. A flame ignites down his spine, shooting a wild fire through his limbs -

He tells him this is just another hard body as he presses his hips against Liam’s, and not Liam, who is more than just another hard body to him. He focuses on the twitch of his cock instead of the warmth in his chest, on the moans rumbling in his throat instead of the fast pace of his heart because if he doesn't, he won't be able to ignore how nervous it makes him all feel. He kisses Liam harder, biting at his lower lip and ignoring the way he wants to mark up Liam’s skin in a possessive way rather than just a way to work Liam up.

“Zayn,” Liam groans, sliding his fingers through the hair at the back of Zayn’s head and tugging. It makes Zayn moan embarrassingly loud, though muffled as his lips suck on Liam’s bottom lip. There is too many clothes between them, making it hard for Zayn to feel Liam properly as he grinds and moves his hips down against him.

Liam pushes them back up with an arm curling tightly around Zayn’s lower back, head tilting back to continue the movement of his lips against Zayn’s. He tightens his grip when Zayn grinds down against him, his legs spreading to fit Zayn better in between them.

Zayn shivers, feeling his cock press against the bulge of Liam’s jeans. It drags out a rough groan from Liam’s lips, his teeth biting hard at Zayn’s bottom lip. He drags his hands to Zayn’s hips, his skin burning against his bare skin as he cups them, holding Zayn against him with a strength in his fingertips that hadn’t been there before.

“My favorite color is purple,” Liam mutters, voice rough as Zayn drags his lips against Liam’s jaw. He stills for a moment, but takes the way Liam’s hands are rubbing down his back to guide his hips back down against him as a sign to go on. “I have two sisters.”

Zayn pushes up, taking in Liam’s soft expression and the grin on his lips. “I’m from Wolver-Hampton, and I’ve known Niall since I was eight. Met at camp. I hated camp.”

Zayn grins, rubbing his thumb at Liam’s bottom lip. He drags it down, eyes intent on the way Liam’s tongue snakes out to rub against it. Zayn places another kiss on his mouth, sliding his palm against Liam’s cheek, soaking in the scratch of his beard against his skin. It falls back into something softer, the movement of their lips syncing in with the slow way Zayn works his hips down against Liam’s.

“What else?” Zayn breathes, mouthing at Liam’s lips. It isn’t a prerequisite for him to know things about the people he sleeps with, but he wants to know everything about Liam.

“I  really want to fuck you, Zayn. And I don’t want to mess it up.”

Arousal shoots down his spine at Liam’s whispered words, the desperate way he said his name. He gentles a kiss to Liam’s lips, rubbing his fingers at the back of his neck to ease out the tension that took over his muscles.

“Want you to,” he murmurs back. “However you want, you won’t mess it up.”

Liam moans softly as he hips work back against Zayn’s. Zayn wishes he knew more of what was going on inside Liam’s head, but he is afraid that if he keeps talking that he will end up alone in his bed with a hand over his mouth so Liam won’t hear him.

Liam holds himself like he is confident, shoulders back and a look on his face like he couldn’t be bothered with insecurities and shyness. But Zayn has seen when he expresses them quietly, quickly - just a flash of insecurity in his eyes and a shyness coating his voice. Like now, and Zayn isn’t sure why because there is no way Liam could muck it up.

“Can I tell you something?” Liam breathes as he moves his lips to Zayn’s jaw. He scrapes his teeth against his skin, biting at the sensitive part underneath his jaw. Zayn wants him to leave a mark, craving the feeling of belonging to Liam -

“Yeah,” Zayn huffs out, tilting his head back to allow Liam more room to mouth at the column of his throat. He meant it when he said that he wants Liam to take it how he wants, but it is going slow and Zayn’s cock throbs and soaks through his briefs and he could probably come just from this.

Liam hums, the noise vibrating against his skin. “You’re so beautiful.”

Zayn’s eyes fall shut, teeth digging hard into his bottom lip because he can’t deal with the way that makes his chest feel. It makes his heart pound roughly, ache with the need for Liam to say it over and over.

Zayn looks down at Liam, pushing back the hair clinging to his forehead as he thinks of what to say in response. Beautiful isn’t the best word to describe Liam, because it isn’t enough. He doesn’t think there is a word that is enough.

He hates how intimate it feels, only because he knows he should. He wants Liam to whisper endearments against his skin and touch him like he is trying to imprint his heartbeat into his skin. He wants to tangle his fingers in Liam’s hair and take it slow, mouth breathy kisses against his lips.

Liam's hands smooth down his back until his fingertips push under the band of his joggers, teasing lower until they scrape across the curve of his bum. He wants to find the words to tell Liam how beautiful he is too.

"That's okay?" Liam murmurs, looking up at him. He looks incredibly soft with the flutter of his eyelashes and the dark look in his eyes still holding onto that honey brown warmth.

Zayn isn't sure what he means but he nods anyway, smoothing his palms to the back of his head.

“Where’s the fucking key -”

They both go completely still at the muffled sound of Niall’s voice outside the front door. Zayn knows Liam’s panicked expression is a mirror image of his own.

“What the fuck, lost the fucking key -”

Liam makes a wounded noise, tugging Zayn back down so their lips meet. It is a hard kiss, one that Zayn doesn’t like because he knows they have to stop.

“Come to my room,” Zayn mumbles as he listens to Niall go on cussing about the key, his tone getting angrier by the moment. He shifts off Liam’s lap regretfully, keeping his hand smoothing against Liam’s cheek. “Please.”

Liam nods, a grin tugging at his lips. Zayn wants to kiss him again but he hears the key in the lock and he scurries off the couch, moving too far away from Liam as Niall steps in.

Niall looks as angry as he had sounded, face red and crumpled into an expression that looks wrong on his usual happy face. Liam goes alert, pushing off the couch and moving to his best friend’s side.

Zayn watches the calm way Liam wraps an arm around Niall’s shoulder as he slowly moves away from the couch, not wanting to intrude as Niall starts going off about Harry, how they are fighting about something - Zayn can’t decipher what through the spit way Niall talks. Liam gives Zayn an apologetic look before he disappears into the hallway.

His heart drops as he shuffles into his room and falls onto his bed, listening to Niall ask Liam if he can go pick Harry up.

+*

Liam buries his face into the pillow, curling his arms underneath it. His hips work down against the mattress, his cock dragging against the bunched up blanket between his legs. He humps down desperately, his breath coming out shattered as sweat drips down his spine.

_Fuck -_

Zayn’s moans aren’t so loud but he can still hear them clear as day in the quiet room. He is noisier than normal, the bed squeaking and Liam is thankful that his bed isn’t against the wall or he really would lose his shit.

_Feels so good -_

Liam groans, biting into the pillow as he rolls his hips down harder, not caring how weird it feels that he is about to come across his sheets while listening to Zayn get off through the wall. He craves to get his damn laptop again, but he doesn’t think he could get his shaky legs to cooperate with him to walk across his bedroom.

He had come back from picking up Harry the night before, much later than he had hoped. It had taken Harry forever to calm down enough to get him into the car, and he still isn’t sure why they had been fighting. Neither one had said, preferring to cuss the other out to Liam instead of explain.

He had peeked his head into Zayn’s room once he got back, finding Zayn spread out against his mattress, lips parted open and fast asleep. His shirt had been shucked up his chest, his palm flat on his belly.  

Zayn had been gone when he woke up, having already left for his shift at the bookshop. Liam had been going crazy all day with the memory of Zayn’s lips on his own, the sound of his soft moans that _he_ caused echoing in his ears. Remembering that he finally could feel the way Zayn worked those hips against his own and let his palms explore Zayn's skin.

Liam’s fingers curl into his pillows as he feels that familiar feeling of release, arousal twisting in his belly as his hips jerk down. He doesn’t know what to do next, if he is allowed to kiss Zayn again. He doesn’t think it is okay to go next door and be like, ‘hey, I hear you gettin’ off in there, can I help?’

But he wants to. He wants to go in there and shut down the show, take Zayn into his hands and caress out those desperate noises Zayn always makes himself. He wants to touch Zayn until Zayn doesn’t like just touching himself anymore, until he _needs_ Liam’s hands -

_Fuck, Daddy -_

Liam lets out a wrecked sound as he comes, body tensing and trembling as he soaks through his pyjama pants. His orgasm rocks through him, rippling through his limbs, tightening his muscles, heavying the already heavy weight in his chest.

He stays still on his bed, even though he knows he has to get up and change his clothes and his bedding, because he can’t sleep if he doesn’t. He doesn’t move though until he listens to Zayn come before it goes quiet for a few minutes.

Liam groans, hiding his face in the pillow before he finally gets himself out of bed to change his pants and reach for his leather jacket.

+*

Zayn wipes himself off before he pulls on a cleaner pair of joggers from the laundry. In the mirror he can see how red his skin is and the sheen of sweat that clings to it, the way his hair is a mess on the top of his head.

He wants to go into Liam’s room, to wake him up with gentle kisses and his body pressed on top of his. He has been thinking about him all day, the way his lips felt against his own and the gentle way he touched him. They haven’t seen each other today, which could be a good thing because Zayn isn’t sure he would have been able to stop himself from kissing Liam, no matter who was around.

But he just doesn’t know if he _can_.

Zayn sighs, grabbing his purple speckled sweater before he opens his bedroom door. His room feels blistering hot, his skin on fire and he hopes the colder weather will ease his worries. He doesn’t know how to date or express himself when he fancies someone in a way that doesn’t feel awkward to himself, and he usually doesn’t try but with Liam he wants to.

“Oh, hey.”

Zayn warms even more as he eyes Liam a few feet from him, a nervous smile on his lips. He stands in front of his own door, tugging on the leather jacket with a cigarette dangling between his lips.

“Going for a smoke?” Zayn murmurs, feeling his cheeks flush as he closes his bedroom door behind him. He hopes he had been quiet a few minutes ago, and embarrassment takes over because of the amount of times he had moaned Daddy -

It is a slight kink of his, and an audience favorite. He likes when they tell him he is a good boy, or call him baby boy. He doesn’t know why - it is just a thing. Probably because Wolfie used to do it, but he hasn’t been around -

“Yeah,” Liam says, nodding his head towards the living room. He shows no sign of having heard him. “Wanna join?”

Zayn nods, nibbling on his bottom lip as he follows after Liam. His hair is damp, sticking to his forehead and his face flushed. He doesn’t wear a shirt underneath his jacket, and Zayn gets a glimpse of his bare chest before he zips it up to his throat.

“Can’t sleep?” Zayn asks as they make their way down the hallway.

Liam takes the cigarette from his lips, nodding. “Yeah, you?”

Zayn shrugs even though Liam is turned forward. He had moved his show to tonight to make up for missing it the night before, even though he has class early in the morning and he knew his roommates were there. He tried hard to be quiet, but as soon as he thought about Liam’s hard body under his own -

Well, he isn’t sure that he did a good job at being quiet.

Liam looks over a shoulder as he opens the front door, standing against it as Zayn walks up to him. He shrugs again so Liam can see. “Guess so, yeah.”

Liam reaches out to him, hand snaking around the back of his neck as he drags him closer. It makes Zayn’s heart thump heavily in his chest and he reaches out to slide his fingers against Liam’s hips.

“Can’t stop thinking about kissing you,” Liam tells him quietly.

“Then do it,” Zayn murmurs, eyes dropping to Liam’s obscenely full lips and the soft of his tongue he drags it across the lower. Liam only nods before ducking forward to press a kiss to his lips.

He only kisses him for a moment, slotting their lips together and sucking gently on Zayn’s bottom lip before he pulls away and brings the cigarette to his lips. He lets Zayn go to step outside before him.

Zayn leans against the wall, fidgeting his fingers against his scruff as he watches Liam follow behind him. He slides the cigarette behind his ear before he comes up to Zayn, his hand reaching out to plant against his cheek.

Zayn doesn’t have time to catch his breath before Liam’s lips are on his own, his body pressing him closer to the wall. There is an eagerness in Liam that makes him groan softly, legs parting like a habit to fit Liam between.

Zayn fits his hands underneath the back of Liam’s jacket, spreading his fingers against the sticky warmth of Liam’s back like he had been sweating a moment ago. Liam’s hands are strong against his jaw, kissing him deep like he wants to show Zayn how badly he had wanted to kiss him.

Zayn kisses back just as hard, teeth grazing against Liam’s lips and his tongue pushing past them. He curls it behind Liam’s teeth, drags it against Liam’s and groans roughly when Liam pulls his tongue into his mouth. Excitement rushes through him, despite the calm he had been feeling from getting off like ten minutes ago.

“Did I tell you,” Liam murmurs lowly, moving his lips to Zayn’s throat. He sucks gently at his skin, a firm hand on Zayn’s jaw to keep his head tilted back. “How beautiful you are.”

“Liam,” Zayn groans quietly, pushing Liam closer to him. He doesn’t care that they are outside, that anyone could see them. But he wants to drag Liam back to his room and put on a second show -

“So beautiful, babe,” Liam whispers before he drags a tongue over the tender skin it feels like he had bruised.

“That’s you,” Zayn whispers back. Liam looks at him softly, lips quirking up before he hovers his mouth back over Zayn’s.

Zayn’s phone vibrates in his pocket but he only curls his arms around Liam’s shoulders. He isn’t letting anything pull him away from Liam this time, he wants to feel Liam’s hands on his bare skin, his mouth at his hips, the thick of his cock.

Zayn dips his fingers under the band of Liam’s pyjama pants, teasing at the band of his briefs before dipping lower and pushing Liam’s hips against his own. Liam chuckles softly as Zayn slips his fingers past the round of his bum, cupping him gently.

“Still wanna fuck me?” Zayn whispers, squeezing his bum. “I’ll try to be quiet so the others don’t hear -”

Liam clenches his eyes shut, groaning low in his throat as he knocks their foreheads together. He exhales out as he presses his hips to Zayn’s. Zayn’s phone vibrates again but he ignores it again to listen to Liam speak.

“Your room?”

Zayn nods, biting at his grin as Liam pushes away from him and wraps his fingers around Zayn’s wrist to tug him inside.

He stays close to Liam’s back, not wanting to push him against the hallway like he craves to just in case one of their roommates are up and about. He isn’t too careful though, still pressing his cock to Liam’s bum and mouthing at the back of his neck as his fingers snake underneath the front of Liam’s leather jacket.

“Babe,” Liam groans, fingers sliding over the back of Zayn’s hand. “Hadn’t you closed your door when you left?”

Zayn stills, seeing his bedroom door wide open. Dread pours through him as he pulls out his cellphone from his pocket and sees that Harry had called twice.

He pulls away from Liam, padding over to the door as he pops his head in the room. He sees Harry’s lengthy frame curled up on his bed, his own comforter wrapped around his body. The room is filled with quiet sniffles and Zayn turns to Liam regretfully.

“S’okay,” Liam says under his breath, pressing his lips to the corner of Zayn’s lips but Zayn can’t miss the disappointment in his face.

Zayn sighs as he pads into the the room. He curls behind Harry, wrapping an arm around his waist, thankful he had gotten off in the chair tonight instead of his bed because then he would feel guilty.

“What’s wrong?” Zayn murmurs, tucking his face in the back of Harry’s neck.

"Niall won't even come near me. Practically hanging off the bed."

Zayn squeezes him tighter, not saying anything because he knows Harry will talk about it if he wants to.

“Can I sleep in here?” Harry mumbles, voice tight.

“Sure thing,” Zayn sighs, pulling him closer.

+*

The world is against them, Liam swears.

With the Niall and Harry drama, the amount of homework and projects for class, and extra shifts at the garage, he barely has more than a few moments alone with Zayn. Just enough to drag him somewhere quiet, and get himself worked up with hard kisses and hands exploring each other’s bodies before they have to part ways. It is partly his fault too, because he falls asleep after only a moment in his bed, waiting for Zayn to get home because he feels exhausted by the time he gets home.

"This is nice," Zayn murmurs, looking up at Liam from over his textbook. He knocks his ankle against Liam's under the table, the corners of his lips quirking up into a soft smile.

Liam looks around at the busy cafe, filled with a buzz of chatter and soft music playing from overhead.The house is too tense with  Niall and Harry walking about, clearly ignoring each other, so Liam had disappeared to do his homework somewhere else, after stopping at the bookshop to see if Zayn wanted to join. "The cafe?"

Zayn shrugs. "Hanging with you too, a bit."

Liam can't help the way the smile takes over his face. It isn't exactly the alone time he craves, but he likes this just as much. Even if they have barely spoken a word as they try to read for class. It is just nice being around him.

He likes the way Zayn's brows furrow when he reads, and the soft smile that takes over his lips when he catches onto Liam's constant glances. He likes the way his nose wrinkles and his tongue presses against the back of his teeth when he laughs, and there is something adorable and oddly hot about the way he constantly rubs a finger at his eyebrow when he reads.

It is just, Liam feels kind of gone for him and all the little things he does.

"S'alright," Liam teases, earning a soft kick in the shin.

"Wanna um," Zayn starts, fidgeting with the pages of his book before putting it down and reaching for his half empty mug instead. "We can hang tonight? Niall's taking Harry out to talk finally, and Louis said he was avoiding the apartment at all costs just in case it turns back, so -"

Liam huffs out a sigh as he drags his fingers through the curls at the top of his head. They are a mess from Zayn’s fingers dragging through them while he pressed hasty kisses to Liam’s lips behind the cafe.

“I promised Paddy I would stay late to do some paperwork,” Liam says apologetically. He leans across the table to tickle his fingers under Zayn’s chin, waggling his eyebrows. “Wanna go make out in your car until I have to go?”

Zayn grimaces, but the brightness in his eyes only shines brighter. “I guess.”

Liam snorts, pulling a few bills out of his wallet to leave on the table before he follows Zayn out of the cafe.

 

Liam groans, rubbing his temple before he tries again. He is reading the words on the paper in front of him, but they seem to disappear from his memory the moment he moves onto the next one. He is distracted, too busy thinking about the soft way Zayn whimpered when Liam kissed him harder, the needy way he worked his hips against Liam’s like he had been unable to control it, uncaring that they weren’t as discreet as Liam hoped they would be, parked in the farthest parking lot by the bookshop.

Liam flinches away from his thoughts when his phone rings, vibrating loudly beside his stack of paperwork. The garage is empty since it is after closing, and it is eerily quiet in Paddy’s office without anyone else there.

He eyes Niall’s contact before he answers, prepping himself for Niall to be mad.

“I’m an arse,” Niall greets, not angry but overwhelmed sounding. “Complete arse.”

Liam frowns, leaning back in his chair, unsure if he wants to focus more on the boring paperwork or Niall’s relationship problems, which is hard to do because Niall won’t tell him what they are fighting about. “Are you going to tell me what happened, then?”

Niall makes a wounded noise before he answers, his words coming out so rushed and jumbled that Liam can’t make any sense of them.

“Wait, what?”

“Harry wants to meet my mum,” Niall says defensively, spitting the words at him. “My dad too. Wants to meet the folks, be introduced as me boyfriend or whatever.”

Liam groans loudly, pinching his temples as he takes in Niall’s words. “ _That_ is why you have been fighting all this time?”

"Shove off," Niall grunts, aggravated. "M'not good with this stuff, mate. Bein' serious, more than casual."

"You're not casual," Liam says gently, not wanting to be rude. "You asked him to move in, you look at him like you -"

He stops, grinning to himself because he knows if he even hints at the L word than Niall will turn into a mess of flustered words and denial. Niall constantly rags on him for being a romantic sap, but Liam knows Niall can be the same - it just might be a little harder to notice sometimes.

"Yeah," Niall grumbles. "Gonna tell him tonight. Hopefully like, it makes it better."

Liam's chest swells with pride. "Proud of you."

"Whatever. I’m only going to tell him I like him strongly," Niall chuckles in embarrassment and Liam has to purse his lips to trap the judgmental groan in his throat. "What about you, Wolf? I know you're arse over tit for Zayner. You look at him all funny. Especially when he wears them half shirt things."

Liam feels his cheeks flush as he sinks into his chair, smile faltering. "Don't change the subject."

"M'done with the subject, it's making me nervous." Niall laughs it off, but the nerves that cling to his words are hard to miss. "Better go pick him up before I change my mind."

"Good idea," Liam says, relief flooding through him in hope that they stop fighting and that Niall drops the Zayn subject.

"Alright, I'll talk to you. And Liam? The lad looks at you all funny, too."

Liam doesn't respond to that, only hangs up with a laugh and a good luck.

His preoccupation with Zayn worsens after that, and after an hour he gives up on staring at the paperwork and heads home. He can’t deal with the need to taste Zayn’s skin any longer, to press him into the sheets and carve kisses of _mine_ across his hips.

+*

Zayn chuckles breathlessly, lips parted and cheeks flushed as he works his fingers past the rim. His toes curl, legs spreading to allow the camera to get a better view. He hadn’t planned on doing a show, but he was already worked up from a short time with Liam, and disappointed he couldn’t spend tonight with him like he had hoped, and getting on camera allowed him to distract himself.

At least from the way his chest feels so heavy with feelings he isn’t used to, but not from the way he imagines the feel of Liam’s fingers against his skin, and thinking about the way he has taken up to bruising Zayn’s throat. They don’t talk about it, and Zayn doesn’t want to - he likes them, the hickes and his roommates seem to be too distracted with their own problems to notice.

Zayn eyes the chat screen, once again looking for Wolfie93 like he has for the past couple of shows. He is worried about him as silly as it seems. He has gone two years never missing a single show, and now he is nowhere to be found.

"Oh fuck," Zayn groans, biting hard at his bottom lip as he reaches that bundle of nerves. He trembles, his cock twitching out dribbles of precome against his belly. He pulls his fingers away, repositioning himself on the bed so the camera can capture the way his hole clenches -

A knock at his door makes him go stone still, panic pouring through him. He waits a moment before there is another knock and he is whispering apologies to the audience. Everyone is supposed to be gone for at least another hour, and he was supposed to have plenty of time to do a quick show.

He moves at a super fast speed, throwing his toys under his bed and tugging the comforter he had been laying on onto the floor as he wrangles on a pair of joggers and a top, stumbling across the carpet and nearly face planting into his desk chair.

“Zayn?”

Zayn’s heart races as he hears Liam’s voice through the door. Of course, out of everyone it could be. _Of course_. Liam is supposed to be at work for like two more hours, according to the clock that blinks brightly on his desk.

“One moment, babe," Zayn calls, trying to sound casual but he is sure he fails.

He picks up his computer before setting it on the desk carefully. He takes one last glance at his room to make sure everything seems normal, well his normal mess, before he opens the door.

A grin tugs at Liam’s lips, his curls falling in front of his forehead. He doesn’t say anything when the door opens, only steps past the threshold, his hands reaching to cup Zayn’s cheeks.

“Left work early,” he murmurs, ducking his head forward to brush the words against Zayn’s lips. “Rather be with you.”

Zayn curls his arms around Liam’s back, trying to use the warmth of his skin to ease the rapid way his heart beats and the panic that still lingers through him. “Yeah?”

Liam nods, guiding Zayn backwards some. “And we’re alone.”

Zayn groans quietly, tilting his head when Liam finally pushes his lips against his own. He doesn't know if Liam can feel the sweat that clings to his skin or notices the smell of sex in the room, and he hopes he is enough to distract it from him if he can.

"Not botherin' you?" Liam says between kisses as he guides Zayn backwards. His fingers span against his back, traveling to the dip in his lower spine and pulling him flush against him.

"No," Zayn breathes nervously as Liam's lips scrape down to his jaw, the scratch of his beard making his skin feel raw. He tangles his fingers in Liam’s shirt, tugging it up his back because he needs it off. He wants to feel as much of Liam’s bare skin as he can. "Was just thinking about you.”

Liam pauses, pulling back to him with a look on his face that he can't read, eyes blown wide and elated before he presses their lips back together. He pushes his hips against Zayn's, and Zayn knows there is no way he can't feel how hard he is already.

It is a struggle then, to tangle Liam’s shirt off as they fumble over the carpet towards Zayn’s bed, Liam chuckling breathlessly as he lets Zayn go to pull off his top.

"What were you thinking about?" Liam huffs out, slipping his fingers under the bottom of Zayn's shirt. His fingers slide against his belly, warming up his skin to expand across his ribcage as Zayn's knees hit the edge of the bed.

"Your hands," Zayn whispers honestly as they slide to his sides. He cups Liam's cheeks, grinning as he smooths his thumb against Liam's mouth. "Your lips."

Liam's lips part as he exhales before he wraps those obscenely full lips around his thumb. Zayn groans quietly, pushing it further past them until he slowly drags it out. Images of Liam on his knees, lips stretched around the thick of him fill his mind and fuck -

"Kiss me please," Liam mutters, tilting his head into Zayn's palm. It makes his heart flutter, and he shakes his head no, teasingly and he regrets it the moment Liam's face falls.

"Just after -" Zayn manages, reaching for the collar of his shirt before tugging it off. He tosses it before he presses a hard kiss to Liam's mouth.

Liam guides Zayn back against the bed with a firm hand at his spine, knee digging on the edge of it. Zayn presses his fingers into Liam's cheeks, keeping his lips stitched to his own. Anticipation makes his heart thud quickly, his tongue eager as it pushes past Liam's lips.

Liam digs his elbows beside Zayn's ears, hovering his body over Zayn's and Zayn is thankful he doesn't hesitate to roll his hips down against his own. He isn't sure he can go much longer without some kind of friction against his cock, not with the way he has already gotten himself worked up and loose before Liam joined him -

“Been thinkin’ about you too,” Liam admits quietly against his lips. He tangles his fingers in the hair at the top of Zayn’s head, tugging his head back gently. His nerves sizzle through his limbs, his skin feeling like fire. “Seems like you’re the only thing I’ve been thinking about lately.”

Zayn bites hard at his lip, trying to quiet the moan that is threatening to push past his lips.

“Sorry,” Liam mutters, knocking their foreheads together. “See what I mean about mucking it up? Talk too much I reckon-”

“No,” Zayn says without hesitation as he slips his hands down Liam’s spine. He wants to comfort Liam, though he doesn't know enough about the insecurity that coats his words. "I like it - you. I like you."

Liam's cheeks bunch up as he smiles, eyes falling shut. It stops the movement of his hips for a moment as their lips press together, Liam kissing him softly like he is trying to say something Zayn can't figure out.

"Roll over, babe?" Liam says, voice low and deep and it makes arousal twist down Zayn's spine.

Zayn obliges, but not after peppering quick kisses to Liam's lips because he can't help it. Like an addict getting his fix, already addicted and he has only known Liam a short time.

He feels Liam press closer to him as he rolls onto his belly, his fingers dragging up Zayn's arms before they slide over the back of his hands. His lips are a gentle pressure against his cheek before moving to his neck, gentling down to the bird inked between his shoulder blades that he had gotten done long ago.

He can't make out the words Liam whispers against his skin as he moves his lips down his spine, but they make him tremble anyway. He feels lost in the soft slide of Liam's lips, the gentle graze of his teeth, whimpering quietly as Liam moves lower.

He is hesitant to let go of Liam's fingers, but he does, allowing Liam to drag them roughly down his sides to his hips. It contrasts with the gentle touch of Liam's lips, making excitement roll down his spine.

He wants Liam rough, manhandling him across the sheets and pinning his hands above his head. It drives him mad the way Liam thumbs at the band of his joggers, teasing them lower with his lips skating across the bottom of his spine.

"Leeyum," Zayn whines, wiggling his hips. Liam muffles his laugh against his skin, dragging the material further past his bum.

"What?" Liam breathes, his lips close to the curve of Zayn's bum before he pushes back onto his knees.

Zayn looks over his shoulder, breath catching in his throat. Liam's eyes are intent on where his palms cup his arse, lip trapped between his teeth as he spreads him. He looks obscene - beautiful, with the flush in his cheeks that runs down to his chest, the wiry muscles wrapped around his arms, the smatter of hair on his chest and down his abdomen, thicker where it runs trails under his belly button.

"I didn't mean stop," Zayn tells him, pushing his hips off of the mattress as he arches his spine. Liam looks wounded for a moment, groaning low in his throat as he squeezes him a bit more roughly, arching his hips back even more.

He lets him go abruptly, pushing off the bed with a playful grin on his lips as he tugs Zayn's joggers the rest of the way off.

"You too," Zayn teases, eyes intent on the way Liam's fingers go to the button of his jeans.

 _Fuck_ , Zayn's imagination of what Liam looks like bare doesn't even come close to the real thing. His thighs are paler above the knee but thick and strong looking, covered in a thin matting of blond hair. His briefs hug his hips, doing little to conceal the way his cock strains against the material.

"Come on then," Zayn says coolly even though he feels far from cool. He nudges his head towards him. "The rest of it."

Liam bites the corner of his lip, covering the thick of his cock with his palm before he squeezes gently. He keeps his eyes on Zayn, eyelashes fluttering some and for a moment Zayn thinks about how well they would do on camera together.

 _Oh_ \- good, definitely good, he thinks as Liam strips off the rest of the way. His cock is thick and long, curving towards his belly. He wraps a hand around himself, revealing the way the head is just as obscenely red as his lips as he pushes back the extra skin.

"Come on," Zayn says thickly, pushing out his bottom lips. "Stop teasing me and get back to it."

Liam snorts, but does as he says, digging his knees into the mattress again. He smooths his palms up the back of Zayn's thighs to the edge of his bum before he bends over to press a kiss to the bottom of his spine.

"Could get off just lookin' at you," Liam murmurs, sliding his palms higher. "Watch you squirm on the sheets."

"Or," Zayn starts, voice tight as fire burns down to his lower belly from Liam's words. "You could touch and make me squirm."

"Can I taste?" Liam offers, spreading him again. He huffs out like his own words affect him as much as they affect Zayn. "To make you squirm."

Zayn's words get stuck in his throat as he tries not to moan, but he does and it comes out wrecked and desperate,

"Can I?" Liam asks again, his thumb rubbing closer to Zayn's hole.

Warmth coats his skin as he nods, an unfamiliar shyness creeping through him. He feels exposed and it's laughable, really, given how often he frets about his audience not seeing him fully. How he likes being exposed, likes the way people get off to just watching the way his hole stretches around his fingers, the thick of his vibrator -

Liam ducks his head forward, his mouth warm and wet where it presses an open mouth kiss to the curve of his bum. Zayn slumps back against the mattress, tucking his face into his elbow as an overwhelmed feeling takes over his chest.

Liam grazes his teeth over his skin, his tongue sliding over where they press in here and there roughly. He teases, spreading and squeezing his bum, lingering kisses around his hole and Zayn tries not to squirm, tries to keep his hips stitched to the mattress and focus on the way his cock twitches against the sheets, but he _can't_.

"Be still for a moment," Liam breathes. "So I can -"

He goes quiet as Zayn tenses, feeling Liam's mouth scrape between his cheeks. He worries, nervous Liam will be able to tell that he has already loosened himself up, and he is thankful he opted for spit tonight instead of lube.

Liam groans as Zayn feels his tongue slide over his skin, flattened as it drags over his hole. It makes it harder to stay still as Liam traces the rim, a tremble running down his spine when his lips wrap around him, sucking gently. The room fills with rumbled groans and soft whimpers, seemingly deafening in his ears.

"Liam, fuck," Zayn moans as Liam's tongue presses past the rim, finding no resistance. Liam doesn't comment, only moans roughly, losing a bit of the precise movement of his tongue as he kisses him messily and fucks his tongue into him with quick strokes.

Liam pulls back for a moment before Zayn feels the spit slip between his arse cheeks, Liam's lips being replaced by the pad of his thumb. He teases again before easing in and Zayn gives up on trying to be still, rocking his hips back against Liam's touch.

"Look good like this," Liam whispers lowly as he eases out his thumb, not hesitating to use his tongue again. He laps at Zayn, making spit dribble down his skin.

"Stop talking," Zayn huffs out, chuckling breathlessly. He doesn't really want him to, but it feels like he might _explode_ if Liam keeps talking.

"Gaggin' for it, yeah?"

Zayn hides his flush against his arm, the litany moans he lets out muffled and loud. Liam curls two digits inside of him like he is aware that Zayn can take it, peppering kisses to his bum as he stretches him.

It takes forever it feels like, until Liam's lips are at his spine and he eases in a third. Zayn feels on fire, skin slicked with sweat and legs trembling as he works his hips back. His cock throbs, leaking onto the sheets, the arousal curling under his belly threatening to explode if Liam doesn't hurry it up.

"Fuck, Zayn -" Liam growls roughly, fingers digging into his bum hard enough that there may be bruises on his skin in the morning. He slips his fingers out of Zayn carefully before dragging both hands up Zayn's sides. "Can - are you -"

"Yeah," Zayn huffs out as Liam blankets his back. There is an urgency in his palms as they slide to his chest, the way his lips mouth at the back of his neck. "Want -"

"Me cock?" Liam offers, whispering the words against his cheek. His length presses against his bum, slipping against his skin and Zayn doesn't mean to nod, to look so desperate but he _is_.

Zayn stretches across the bed, difficult to do with the way Liam’s palms explore his skin until he gets the hint and lets him go. He fumbles with his nightstand drawer where he produces a condom. He throws it over his shoulder, warming when Liam lets out a quiet laugh.

Zayn listens to the rip of the packaging, the soft whimper Liam lets out as he slicks on the condom with ease.

"C'mere," Liam mutters after a moment, though Zayn has barely moved away from him. He peppers a kiss to Zayn's neck before his arm is curling back against his chest, tugging him back.

Fuck - Liam rolls them to their side so easily, his hands firm on Zayn as he plants him to his chest. A hint at how rough and careful Liam can be, and Zayn needs it. Needs the rough grip Liam gets on his thigh, fingers digging into the sensitive skin as he lifts his leg before Zayn holds it for him, the bite of kisses he leaves against his shoulders that he hopes leave those little _mine_ marks behind.

Contrasting with the gentle way he slides his other hand across Zayn's chest and to his throat and jaw, tilting his head back to press kisses to the corner of his lips. The soft way he whispers for Zayn to spit into his hand before he nudges his hand between Zayn's cheeks.

“Okay?” Liam murmurs, nudging his cock between Zayn’s cheeks. He only lets out a small whimper out in response, jerking his head as an indication of yes.

Zayn tenses for a moment, anticipation making his heart bang rapidly against his sternum as Liam pushes past the rim, which feels like forever after he gives the go ahead.

Liam covers Zayn's hand on his thigh with his own, slowly working his hips forward, moans muffled to his cheek. He feels good wrapped around his back, their bodies fitted together like this is how they are meant to be.

Zayn clenches his eyes shut, willing that thought away, and instead focuses on the way he stretches around Liam, the dull sting masked by the roll of pleasure down his spine. He can’t allow his thoughts to overwhelm him when the feel of Liam inside of him is doing that enough already.

Liam curls an arm around his thigh, dragging it up more as he bottoms out. He peppers kisses to Zayn's shoulder as he stills, waiting for Zayn to nudge his hips back against him.

"M'good, Liam," Zayn huffs out, tugging his fingers through the soft fluff of hair at the top of Liam's head. "Just - please?"

Liam moans quietly as he pulls his hips back, tightening his grip on Zayn's jaw like a reflex.

He is all hard muscle and warm skin, shaky moans and slow strokes, gentle kisses but rough teeth. A hoarse voice in his ear telling him how good he takes it, or how tight he is. Zayn thinks for a moment he falls in love with the sound of Liam's voice, the way it is quiet under the slap of their skin and the loud moans that leave Zayn's lips.

Liam dicks into him steadily, the head pumping against that ball of nerves that make the muscles in his thighs tense and his spine arch against Liam's front. Liam only holds him closer and fucks deeper, like he is testing if his strength can ease away the tremble that rips through him.

"Feels good?" Liam asks in his ear and Zayn could laugh if it weren't for the way that curl in his belly signals that he is close, _already._ "Get a hand around y'self babe, let me see."

Zayn pulls his fingers away from Liam's hair to wrap them around the base of his cock, stroking himself slowly before rubbing his thumb against the slit, catching every streak of precome as Liam fucks into him a bit faster.

"Feels good," Zayn moans tightly, knocking his head back against Liam's shoulder. His hand blurs over his cock, the slick sound mixing in with the knock of the bed, the smack of their skin. It is overwhelming, the way his senses feel overloaded as he tries to focus on only Liam.

“Yeah?” Liam grunts out, changing the rhythm as his strokes slow. “Gonna nut off, squeeze around me cock -”

“Liam,” Zayn groans, clenching his eyes shut. “Shut up.”

Liam’s laugh is rough and overwhelmed as he strokes faster again, fingers digging into the skin under Zayn’s jaw.

Zayn is loud when he comes, quaking against Liam as he streaks out onto the sheets. Liam holds him close as he strokes deep, the smack of their skin on the verge of painful. Beautiful is whispered into his ear more times than he can count, but each one takes a breath from him.

"Zayn," Liam moans roughly, tensing behind him as he grips harder onto Zayn's thigh. "Oh babe, fuck -"

He rabbits into Zayn as Zayn eases his fingers back into Liam's hair, tugging gently as he whispers quiet encouragements like _gonna nut off in me babe_ -

Liam stills behind him, teeth digging into the curve of his throat as he comes quietly, only a muffled groan rumbling in his throat. He jerks his hips quickly, milking out the rest of his orgasm as he rolls his tongue over Zayn’s purpling skin like an apology.

Zayn rubs his palm against the side of Liam’s head as he eases out of him, Liam’s lips dragging down his throat and his thumb pressing against Zayn’s bottom lip. He flicks his tongue against it, wondering how soon Liam will be up for round two.

An addict, who isn’t satiated after a fix -

Liam moves without word, pressing Zayn onto his back so he can hover above him. Zayn giggles, unable to calm the giddy feeling in his chest as Liam smacks kisses to his mouth.

"Leeyum," Zayn pretends to complain, curling his arms around Liam's back and tugging him so his weight is heavy on top of him and molding him into the mattress.

Liam braces his elbows beside Zayn’s head, looking down at him for a moment before he slots their lips together. He kisses him slow and deep, tongue snaking past his lips to roll against his own. It soothes him, sending a calm through his body, washing away the tremble that still lingers through his limbs.

Liam cups his jaw, his thumb gentling across his skin as he grins. "And by the way, I like you too."

+*

" _Beautiful babe," Liam murmurs, his palms smoothing down Zayn's belly. He peppers kisses to Zayn's chest, his tongue flicking out to swirl against his nipple._

_Zayn squirms, moaning softly as he strokes his fingers through Liam’s hair. He lifts his gaze to Zayn’s, a hungry look in his eyes._

_"Babe."_

Zayn shifts against the sheets, trying to hold onto his dream. But warm hands press against his cheeks and soft lips coax open his own, making his eyes slowly break open.

He is confronted with warm brown eyes and a smile before that smile is pressed back to his lips. Zayn grins, lazily bringing his hand to the back of Liam’s head to keep him there.

“Mornin’,” Zayn mumbles, mouthing the words against Liam’s lips. “Care to join me in bed?”

Liam chuckles softly, grazing his fingers against Zayn’s cheeks. He slots their lips together for a moment before he rests his forehead against Zayn’s, sighing quietly. “I actually have been ordered to drag you _out_ of bed.”

Zayn groans, tangling his fingers in the front of Liam’s shirt in attempt to drag him down against him. “Tell them no.”

“S’your mum.”

Zayn pushes his head back against the pillows to look at Liam curiously. His heart races, making him wake up more than he wants to. It is part excitement and part worry, because his mum never shows up without calling, even if Zayn didn’t mind if she did.

“She is nice,” Liam whispers with a grin. “Looks like you.”

Zayn feels his face grow hot as he slides off of the bed, reaching for Liam’s shirt which hangs on the lamp shade. It smells like him, and he ignores the look on Liam’s face as he watches him tug it on. He grabs Liam’s pants on the floor, just because -

"Might want a sweater," Liam hums, cupping his neck and sliding a thumb over his tender skin. A soft smile takes over his lips for a moment, contrasting with the dark look on his eyes before he presses a gentle kiss under Zayn's jaw.

"How bad is it?" Zayn says softly, tilting his head back to let Liam pepper kisses to his skin. It feels so good that he flutters his eyes shut, wishing he could drag Liam back to bed.

Liam chuckles as he pulls away and grabs one of the hoodies Zayn always wears when he goes outside to smoke. "Well, I don't want your Mum to hate me."

Zayn grimaces, slipping on the hoodie as Liam watches him. He looks like he has been up for some time, with a few clumps of hair on his head still wet like he had taken a shower a while ago, his eyes alert and not heavy with sleep like Zayn’s feel. Zayn can see he marks that litter his neck too, one underneath his jaw that he had left after Liam had curled his arms around him last night, but it is so pale Zayn is sure it will be gone by the end of the day.

“Coffee,” Liam tells him, indicating the mug on the nightstand before he curls an arm around Zayn’s lower back. He tugs him to his chest, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before he lets him go. “Your sister is here too.”

Zayn frowns as he grabs the mug. It is hot against his hands and he wants to run out into the living room, but he moves slowly, careful not to spill any. Waliyha and Safaa should both be in school, and Doniya lives quite far -

Zayn sees his mum first, standing in their living room with her arms wrapped around Harry's broad shoulders. Safaa is on the couch, legs tucked under her bum and her face resting against where the back of her hands lay on the arm of the couch. He can tell she is sick right away, because she is normally a spitball of energy, especially when seeing Zayn after awhile of being away from each other.

"I'm good dear, how are you?"

Harry shrugs, the smile on his face so big that his dimples pop out. He wants to ask him how it went with Niall last night, since he fell asleep with Liam before they got home. He takes the bright look in his eyes as a good sign. “Not bad. Better now that you’re here.”

Tricia chuckles fondly, patting his cheek.

“Leave my mother alone,” Zayn says playfully, padding over towards her. Harry wiggles his brows until Zayn shoves him away with a laugh and turns towards his mother. “Mummy.”

“Sunshine,” she greets back, smiling warmly and it makes his chest feel just as warm before she wraps her arms around his shoulders. “How are you? Alright?”

“Okay,” Zayn murmurs into her hair, hyper aware of the fact that Liam is standing a few feet away from them and he missed the moment he met his mother.

He isn’t sure why that is important, because they aren’t _boyfriends_.

“This place is quite a mess,” she says, clicking her teeth in disapproval as she looks around. She still smiles when she gives him an expectant look, like she wants him to give her an explanation for the state of a living room in apartment with five lads.

“S’actually cleaner than normal,” Harry laughs. “Liam over here is quite a clean freak.”

Tricia pulls away from Zayn, pointing to Liam. “Best teach my son something about cleaning then. Quite a messy one, he is.”

Zayn flushes, nibbling on his bottom lip, ignoring the way he feels Liam’s eyes on him. “What’re you doing here?”

Tricia sighs, glancing at her youngest on the couch. “Safaa is feeling poorly. And you know how she gets when she is sick. Wants to be with her big brother."

Zayn nods before padding over to her. He puts his cup down on the table before leaning over the couch. He folds a hand over her forehead, feeling how hot and damp with sweat her skin is before he brushes his fingers through her hair. “Hey Saf, you okay?”

Safaa shrugs her shoulders, rolling onto her back. Her face is bright red, her eyes missing that normal brightness they usually hold. “Bhaiya, can I spend the day with you? Don’t feel good.”

Zayn nods, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he pulls away. When he still lived at home, she would always find her way to his room when she wasn’t feeling good. Stitched to his side whenever she got sick.

“Is that okay, love? I can come pick her up in a few hours. I just have a few meetings to go to right outside of town -”

Zayn nods. “I have class, but I can skip -”

“You don’t have to,” Liam pipes up. Zayn looks at him, catching the way his face flames red and he slides fingers against the back of his neck. “You only have the one today, right? I can sit with her while you’re away.”

Tricia raises her brows, an amused look in her eyes as she presses her lips together like she is trying to keep away the smile that is threatening to take ahold of them. Zayn groans internally, knowing what his mum is thinking.

She is always on him about finding someone, about his dating life and whether or not he wants to be married. He doesn’t like to think about it, but Tricia is constantly talking about how she can’t wait to have grandbabies in the house.

Zayn nods, looking at Liam. “Yeah, alright. Thanks, mate.”

It feels weird saying it, but Liam nods in understanding. Well, Zayn hopes he understands and isn’t offended by the word.

“Anytime, mate.”

 

Safaa tucks herself into his side as he tries to finish the last of the chapter he had to read for class. He had pushed it off, too distracted by Liam.

"Shrek?" Harry laughs, slumping down on the other side of Safaa. "Should have known."

"It's a classic," Safaa explains, yawning as she snuggles closer to Zayn. The sound of Liam laughing sounds from somewhere and it makes his heart warm.

He hates that she is sick, but loves that she is here with him. It is nice being around her, and seeing her interact with Liam, though Zayn hasn't missed the nervous way he glances at her like he is afraid of her.

It is adorable, really.

"Budge up, babe," Zayn says softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Need a shower before class."

"Yeah, you smell really bad, but I didn't want to tell you," she giggles, untangling herself from him. Harry's laughter fills the room and Zayn glares at him as he tickles his fingers under her chin.

"I don't think you smell bad," Liam murmurs as he follows behind Zayn into the hallway, hand settling on Zayn's lower back even though a disgruntled looking Louis shuffles out of his bedroom in front of them. He grumbles a good morning, rubbing at his eyes before he heads towards the kitchen.

"Want to join me in the shower?" Zayn teases, turning around to grab the bottom of Liam's shirt and tug him towards the bathroom door.

"Risky," Liam mutters before he plants his lips on Zayn's quickly instead of explaning what he means by that. "I'm going to go watch Shrek with your sister. She has good taste in film."

Zayn rolls his eyes. "Yeah, but when _I_ picked it out you laughed."

Liam walks him back into the bathroom, pushing his grin against Zayn's lips. _Risky_ plays over in his head, even though Liam doesn't seem to care too much about it when the bathroom door is wide open and his hands are slipping underneath Zayn's hoodie.

"She's what? Eleven," Liam laughs, nipping playfully at his jaw. "And I laughed because I'm sure Donkey's voice would have ruined the mood if I had me dick in you, babe."

Zayn groans, sliding his lips against Liam's before he flattens his palms on his chest and pushes him back. "If you're not joining me in the shower, don't tease me."

Liam smirks, the crinkles by his eyes deepening as he walks out of the bathroom.

Zayn turns as he shuts the door, craning his neck to eye the purples marks underneath the collar of his hoodie. It makes his belly flip as he drags his fingers over them, remembering the way it felt when it was Liam's lips there.

+*

Liam is nervous.

It is laughable really, that he is intimidated by an eleven year old girl who sits quietly on the edge of the couch, legs tucked underneath her as she watches the telly. She laughs here and here, nose wrinkling and eyes squinting just like Zayn’s do.

“Like your soup?” Liam asks, trying to make conversation. He nudges his head towards the bowl she holds in her hands. She flushes, looking at him through the flutter of her eyelashes as if she is just as intimidated by him.

“Yes, thank you,” she says quietly.

“Zayn made it,” Liam tells her, coughing the words out because this conversation is going horrible.

She wrinkles her nose, but not around a laugh but with a look of disbelief on her face. “Zayn can’t cook.”

Liam huffs out a laugh, shrugging. He had said as much when he had been standing over the stove, grimacing as he added random things to the soup. It had been adorable the way he uttered it shyly and flushed after Liam smacked a kiss to the corner of his lips because he couldn't help it.

“You’re only sayin' it was him 'cause you’re his boyfriend.”

Liam jerks, brows raising high into his hairline. Had Zayn told her that? Would he seem eager if he asked? He thought Zayn wanted to keep this a secret -

“Er - no.”

Safaa’s face crumples even more as she nods. “Harry told me.”

Liam looks at her in confusion, mind racing with wonder of what Zayn has told Harry. “Oh um, well, it isn’t true -”

Safaa shrugs, going back to her soup. “You’re nice, so it is okay.”

Liam is thankful for the door opening then, as he finds himself lost for words and unsure about how to convince Safaa that they aren’t dating. Zayn had seemed nervous about his mother knowing, and they aren’t - that is the truth, but Liam thinks he wants to.

He _knows_ he wants to date him, but he tells that part of his brain to be quiet because he always falls too fast and always makes it obvious. He doesn't want to scare Zayn away the way he did with Dani.

Dani, who liked the soft idle touches, and the way Liam doted over her, but never liked the feelings that came with it.

“Oi,” Niall greets, shoving through the door. He freezes, brows raising as he points to Safaa. “Who's this?”

“Safaa,” she says for herself, frowning at him.

“Zayn’s sister.”

Niall looks amused when he comes over to her, holding out his hand. “Nice to meet you, miss. M’Niall Horan.”

Safaa balances the soup between her thighs as she shakes his hand, giggling softly when Niall pretends to bow.

“How was last night?” Liam asks quietly.

Niall grins. “Good, real good.” He glances at Safaa quickly before mouthing _we shagged_. “In his car.”

Liam chokes out a laugh, rolling his eyes. “Well, um good. Happy for you mate.”

Niall eases the tension as he settles in the chair and watches Safaa's show with them. He makes her laugh, and Liam understands why Zayn is so fond of her every time her high pitched giggle fills the room.

“Want to watch the next one? I’m sure Zayn has it somewhere.”

Safaa shakes her head, placing the bowl on the table in front of the couch. “M’tired.”

Safaa shifts closer as her eyes heavy, moving across the couch. She blinks at Liam before settling her head in his lap, hands folding under her cheek.

Liam glances at Niall nervously, and he only shrugs, amusement glowing in his eyes. He cards gentle fingers through her hair nervously, feeling the heat that radiates from her.

He isn't sure if she falls asleep but he is too afraid to budge an inch, afraid of jostling her and waking her up if she has. The fondness in his chest grows as he hums to her a song his mother used to sing to him, and he ignores the amused smirk Niall sends his way.

He thinks about his own sisters, and how much they would like Zayn. It would be embarrassing if they met him, because Nicola and Ruth love teasing him in front of whoever he is dating or fancies, but he sort of craves it - his family and Zayn meeting each other.

Niall leaves after awhile, laughing softly when Liam frowns at him. His own eyes heavy, sleep starting to take ahold of him as the door opens.

Liam turns his head on the couch after a moment, to find Zayn standing a few feet away, tongue pressed between his lips in concentration as he holds an expensive looking camera in front of his face.

He pulls it away, placing it carefully onto the table in front of the couch, his face bright red in embarrassment as he leans over them.

"Hey," Zayn whispers as he folds a hand over Liam's cheeks. He smiles softly before sliding his palm over Safaa's forehead, a worried looking taking over her face.

"Thank you," he whispers as Safaa fidgets against Liam's lap.

She reaches tiredly for Zayn as he wraps his arms around her, settling beside her on the couch. She tucks her face into his neck, muttering something Liam can't hear.

It makes Liam's heart swell and he looks away, wanting to hide the way his fondness shows on his face.

"Alright, babe? Feeling any better?"

Liam doesn't hear her response so he glances back at them. She cups a hand to Zayn's ear, and whatever she says makes Zayn's face burn even redder, eyes glancing up at Liam through his eyelashes.

"Yeah," Zayn breathes, sliding her hair out of her face. "I like him too."

+*

Liam tucks Zayn to his chest, curling his arms around his lower back and nudging his lips against his cheek. Zayn’s arms are wrapped around his shoulders, dragging Liam across the carpet until Zayn’s back is pressing against the wall.

“What?” Liam huffs out, smiling as he nudges Zayn’s jaw so his head tilts towards his shoulder. Marks linger against his neck, finger shaped and mouth shaped and even though there is a calm settled around them that he is kind of in love with, arousal twists down his spine as he remembers how they got there.

“Nothin’,” Zayn sighs as Liam kisses the bruises gently. Something unsaid lingers in the air and Liam waits, starting to catch onto the hints that tell him Zayn is feeling shy. “Thank you for watching Safaa while I was in class.”

Liam hums, soaking in the scent of Zayn’s cologne as he drags his nose against Zayn’s neck. “I’m glad I got to meet her.”

Zayn moves his head back so Liam looks down at him, smiling softly at the nerves on Zayn’s face before he drags his lips across his. He coaxes his lips apart slowly, sighing into the slow kiss as Zayn’s fingers tangle into his hair.

“Babe,” Zayn whispers against his lips, tilting his head to flick his tongue past Liam’s bottom lip. “How quiet can you be?”

It is sudden, the way that spark flies down Liam’s spine. Louis is in the living room on the phone with his mum, Niall somewhere else in the house, hunched over the homework that has been stressing him out for the last few hours. And he has no idea where Harry is, though he is pretty sure he had heard him in the hallway saying goodbye to Tricia and Safaa before Zayn snuck into his room.

“What do you have in mind?”

Zayn grins, sliding his hands down Liam’s spine before he reaches for the band of his jeans. He tugs on the belt, amusement in his dark eyes as he watches Liam’s stare down at him.

“Somethin’,” Zayn murmurs, undoing his zipper. He pushes off the wall and Liam follows, letting Zayn guide him back as he works his jeans past his hips. “So, can you be quiet?”

“I can try,” Liam groans, folding a hand over his cheek to bring their lips together. Zayn’s fingers are soft against his hips, pushing his jeans past them and grazing over his briefs. His cock plumps as his legs hit the edge of the bed, Zayn’s hand tugging down his briefs past his bum less smoothly.

“Sit,” Zayn murmurs huskily, cupping Liam’s shoulder to push him onto the edge of the bed.

 _Oh_ -

Liam cups Zayn’s cheeks again when he falls to his knees, bringing their lips together for a hard kiss as Zayn wraps a hand around him. His other hand pulls the briefs farther down his legs, past his knees to pool around his ankles. Liam fidgets to kick them off, making Zayn laugh before he pulls away to help.

Liam leans back some as he watches Zayn’s lips scratch against his knee, his hand smoothing up the inside of his thigh and parting his legs to fit better between. He ignores the way his prick plumps and curves towards his belly, aching to be touched, fingers digging into the sheets to let Zayn do this as he wants.

He trembles when Zayn’s teeth graze against the inside of his thigh and his fingers skate past his balls. His lips look obscene against his thigh, his eyelashes spanning across his cheekbones as he pulls the skin into his mouth.

Arousal twists down Liam’s spine as he groans, biting hard onto his lip. He has never had a problem being quiet before but there is something about Zayn that makes it difficult to do.

“My turn,” Zayn murmurs, shifting up on his knees and sliding his palms along the side of Liam’s thighs. Liam cups a hand around the back of his neck, needing to kiss him again.

Liam bites at Zayn’s bottom lip as he feels his fingers curl around him, much thinner than his own. He pumps Liam gently, snaking his tongue into Liam’s mouth as he drags a thumb across the slit, just like he always does to himself during his shows.

Liam moans around Zayn’s tongue, pulling it into his mouth and rolling his own tongue underneath it as Zayn slicks precome down his length. He feels himself harden even more against Zayn’s palm, legs jerking farther apart out of habit.

“For a taste,” Zayn whispers as he pulls back, eyes bright as he looks up at him. Liam regrets his words from the night before, because it feels like torture coming from Zayn's lips.

“If you want,” Liam says thickly, sliding his palms across the sides of Zayn’s head. He thumbs at his cheekbones, dragging his touch down to his jaw and sliding a thumb against his bottom lip. Just looking at Zayn between his palms excites him, more so than the way he rolls his palm over the head -

Zayn nods, pushing past Liam’s hold as he ducks his head forward. Liam leans back to get a better view, watching the way Zayn takes a tentative lick at the head, dragging down the foreskin before wrapping his lips around him.

A moan rumbles in his chest as he drags his fingers through Zayn’s hair, just needing to touch him as he swirls his tongue around the head before mouthing down his length. He looks good always, but so good like this -

“Fuck,” Liam whispers as Zayn wraps his lips around him again and the warmth from Zayn’s mouth seems to soak through him. “Beautiful, babe.”

He can’t help but say it. He is kind of addicted to the flush in Zayn’s cheeks because of it, and the way he whimpers quietly every time. Zayn sinks down further, moaning quietly as Liam's cock slides against his tongue.

It is obscene, watching Zayn's lips stretch across the thick of him, meeting where his fist is curled around the base. He pulls his hand away, folding over Liam's hip as he bobs his head further down.

"Can you take me, babe?" Liam murmurs, feeling like Zayn likes to be talked to even though he had told him to shut up the night before. It seems to work him up, making his eyes flutter shut as he groans. "Get me down your throat -"

Zayn pulls off with a wet pop before taking Liam back in. He slides farther this time, cheeks hollowing as he sucks further down. It sends a tremble through Liam, that fire under his belly growing as the head nudges against his throat.

He feels Zayn's throat constrict as he swallows, tears pricking at his eyelids as he tries to go further. Liam keeps a hand on his cheek, easing him back as he nearly bites his lip off from trying to be quiet.

"Fuck," Liam gasps out as Zayn's eyes connect with his. He flattens his tongue, licking up the underside. "Doing so well -"

Zayn pumps him slowly, slicking him with his spit. "Tell me I'm good?"

Liam moans louder than he means to at the shy way Zayn asks, remembering all the times Zayn looked debauched after he typed out the words -

"Good boy," Liam utters as he sinks back down onto his cock. Zayn moans roughly, face contorting with pleasure as his other hand moves away from Liam to disappear between his own legs.

Liam jerks his hips forward as he watches Zayn's fist underneath the confines of his pants, before apologizing but Zayn shakes his head, face reddening considerably and Liam can’t tell if it is from embarrassment or exertion.

Liam bucks his hips again, taking Zayn's moan as a go ahead as he does it again, placing a firm hand on the back of his head as he pushes Zayn farther.

Liam covers a palm over his lips as he nears closer, muffling the moans that mix in with Zayn's and the slick sound of Zayn's hand working over his cock. Precome glosses over Zayn's lips as he suckles at the head, his thumb rubbing at the vein on the underside.

"Babe, fuck," Liam grunts out, the muscles of his belly contracting as he tries to keep his hips still. "Gonna -"

Zayn only parts his lips, his tongue rolling along the slit, catching the precome that turns a milky color as he starts to come. Liam's fingers tighten in his hair, making a loud moan erupt from Zayn's throat despite Zayn asking him to be quiet.

He wants to capture this on video, the way his come streaks across his tongue and collects at his lips, dribbling down his chin. The way Zayn's cheeks hollow out as he wraps his lips around the tip and sucks, making Liam feel like his muscles might break from the way his orgasm rips through him.

"Oh," Liam moans, tugging Zayn's head back as he wraps a hand around his length and milks out the rest of his orgasm against Zayn’s lips. Zayn's hand moves quickly over his own cock, eyes rolling back as he starts to tremble. "Good, good boy -"

Liam covers Zayn's mouth with his own as Zayn starts to come, his moans rough and wrecked in his throat. He slides his tongue past Zayn's lips as he kisses him deeper, his mouth filling with the bitter taste of himself.

Zayn pushes up suddenly, forcing Liam back onto the mattress as he straddles his lap. He kisses Liam harder, cupping his cheeks with slicked fingers.

"You are so -" Zayn starts, words huffed out as he ducks his head to the curve of Liam's shoulder. He mouths at his neck before biting him, harder than Liam had been anticipating.

"Thought you didn't bite," Liam jokes breathlessly, remembering what he said that time in his room.

Zayn hovers his face over him, grimacing some. "Sorry -"

"Mark me up?" Liam murmurs, tilting his head back as a twist of arousal threatens to prep him for round two. "Like feeling like yours."

Zayn moans softly, ducking his head to suck another mark onto his skin before he hovers over Liam again. "You are so," he whispers shyly, pecking his lips quickly. "I reckon there is not a word out there to describe how you make me feel."

Something twists in his chest as he listens to Zayn speak the same words he feels. He nods as he grins, hoping Zayn can feel the warmth he does as he folds a hand over his palm. "I feel the same."

Zayn huffs out, rolling off of him but grabbing his shirt to tug him close. "Come on, show me that thing you do with your tongue again."

+*

They are getting careless, but Zayn doesn't _care_.

He doesn't care if the others catch onto the small looks him and Liam share, or the way Liam is always touching him. He doesn't even care if he heard them this morning in the bathroom, Zayn pressed against the door as Liam dicked into him quickly, a hand over Zayn's mouth like maybe he cares.

It seems as if they are always with each other now, whether sneaking off to strip off their clothes or their legs tangled on the couch. Liam always pops up at the bookshop with a coffee and a donut before he heads off to work, and Zayn is always there at the end of his shift, parked outside of the garage and waiting for Liam to stink his car up with the smell of gasoline.

It feels like something Zayn doesn’t want to label, because he is too afraid it could ruin whatever it _is_. Liam hasn’t said anything about it, about wanting to take it farther or even wanting to keep it a secret, but Zayn doesn’t want to be the one to bring it up and accidentally ruin everything.

"We are going out tonight," Harry says, poking his head into Zayn's room. "And Liam said yes, so -"

"So?" Zayn tries to sound uncaring, not looking up from where he flips through the photos on his camera. There are more than a few of Liam, decent ones and he wonders how he can ask Liam for ones with a few less clothes on. He has already started up his collage around his bed, a few pictures from campus and old ones from home, his sisters and one of Harry with his smile pressed to Niall’s head. His favorite is in the center, of Liam with a sleeping Safaa tucked in his lap, fingers in her hair and his eyes closed as well..

"So, you can't hide off in here with him if he is with us," Harry snickers. "Dance with someone, make him jealous so he will stop looking at you like that and do something already."

Zayn flushes, biting on the inside of his mouth to keep himself from smiling as he nuzzles his chin into his sweater so Harry won't see the blossom of purple right above his collarbone. "I dunno if that will work, mate."

Harry sighs, rolling his eyes. "Well, then come for me. We are celebrating."

"Celebrating?" Zayn repeats, quirking up a brow.

Harry nods, smiling so hard his cheeks look as if they could break. "Nialler told me he loved me this morning. Well, he was hungover and half asleep and probably doesn't remember but it still counts, right?"

Zayn snorts but warmth crosses his chest at the pure happiness on Harry's face. "Fine, I'll go. Happy for you mate."

"Yeah, me too," Harry sighs dreamily. "We just need to get him to say it while fully conscious first."

+*

Everything is a blur, the crowd around him, the colorful lights that spot his vision from the disco ball overhead. The music seems deafening in his ears but he doesn't care. They are at some house a few streets away from their apartment, filled with people Zayn has never met before and he has lost everything he came with somehow.

He lost Liam when he slipped away to the bathroom, and it feels like it had been ages ago. But Zayn dances, wiggling through the crowd of hard bodies and strong hands that catch his hip before he sinks away from them. He is covered in sweat, making the shirt Louis had picked on him for wearing cling to his chest. _You look like you should be hanging up in a museum, mate -_

(Liam had punched him in the shoulder, earning a scowl from his best mate but it made Zayn’s heart thump heavily in his chest, even before Liam whispered that he liked it into his ear.)

"Want a dance?"

Zayn feels his face crumple into a frown as he turns towards the voice in his ear. He is fit, a broad chest and strong arms, a thick, coarse beard matting his jaw that is only a few shades darker than his skin. The type Zayn normally looks for at things like this, but right now he needs warm brown eyes that do the stupid crinkle thing and a stupidly perfect blond brown beard.

"I can't find my boyfriend," Zayn yells over the music. He scratches his fingers against the man's cheek, sighing. "And you have a really nice beard."

The man barks out a laugh, eyes squinting some but it isn’t the same. "Thanks mate. I hope you find him."

Zayn groans as he watches him walk away. He really needs to find Liam because he has the urge to kiss him. He has wanted to kiss him all night but hadn't known if he could. They have somehow fallen into keeping this a secret and Zayn is afraid they won't be able to get out of it.

And oh, he really does have a nice beard and Zayn wants to feel it against his chin.

Strong arms wrap around his waist and Zayn almost pushes them off before he feels the soft lips at the side of his neck and smells Liam's cologne. He sinks back against his chest, feeling Liam's laugh vibrate against his throat.

"Where did you go?" Liam asks loudly, bunching up the material of Zayn's shirt as he rubs his palm up his belly, rocking him back and forth slowly. His beard scratches against Zayn's cheek and he sighs, nuzzling his face against it until his skin feels raw from it.

He turns, scratching his fingers against Liam's jaw. "I'm in love with your beard."

Liam snorts, a fond look taking over his face as he leans his cheek into Zayn's flattened palm. His eyes do the crinkle thing and Zayn sighs, in love with that too. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Zayn sighs. "It is a really nice beard, Liam."

Liam cups the back of his neck, dragging him close and Zayn's heart thuds in his chest as his eyes drop to Liam's lips.

He doesn't kiss him, but rubs his cheek against Zayn's until Zayn is curling his arms under Liam's armpits to muffle his laughter against his shoulder.

"Kiss me now," Zayn says when he turns his head, whispering the words into Liam's ear. They are deep in the crowd, everyone around them lost in their own selves that he doesn't think Liam will mind.

Liam drags him back, eyes taking down his face before he presses their lips together without hesitation. The scruff of his beard scratches at the skin around his lips, tickling his chin and Zayn giggles into the kiss.

"Your beard is not too bad, either," Liam says when he pulls away, curling his arms around Zayn's shoulders. It is only a dusting of hair across his chin, not as thick as he prefers it usually.

"It can be better," Zayn sighs. "Grow it out wimme, we can be lumberjack boyfriends."

Liam doesn't laugh and it makes Zayn's falter, even though the look on his face shares its warmth with Zayn's chest.

 

"You are drunk."

Zayn leans into Liam's side, grinning drunkenly as he runs his fingers over his abdomen. His shirt clings to his sweaty skin, and Zayn doesn't care if they are in public, he wants to rip it off.

"No, not -" Zayn hiccups, fisting the material as he drags himself in front of Liam. Liam curls his strong arms around Zayn's back, kissing him softly as he helps hold him steady.

"You are," Liam murmurs. "You told Nialler that my dick is humongous."

"It is," Zayn chuckles, wiggling his hips and making Liam's brows push together as he groans in amusement. "Massive babe."

"Come on, let's get you home before you tell someone who is sober enough to remember."

"Feels good inside of me," Zayn goes on, ignoring Liam as he guides him backward. "Makes me feel so full -"

"Okay," Liam huffs out, red creeping up his cheeks. He kisses Zayn hard, cutting off his words. "That bloody mouth you have."

"Oh," Zayn murmurs, pressing closer to Liam because the outside air is cool against his sweaty skin. "Could suck you off -"

"Zayn," Liam groans in frustration, knocking their foreheads together as he stops walking them. He cups Zayn's cheeks, fingers digging into his skin as he kisses him, a desperate noise sounding in his throat. "Tomorrow night maybe, when you're sober."

Zayn sighs in disappointment, pulling away from Liam but linking their fingers so he can settle back into his side.

"Can't, gotta -" he hiccups, tucking his head into Liam's neck as Liam wraps an arm around his shoulder. "Gotta show."

Liam doesn't say anything only keeps walking them back towards their apartment, his grip tightening around Zayn's shoulders.

+*

Liam grins as he leans against the entrance to his room, taking in where Zayn leans back against his pillows, textbook balanced on his legs. His glasses hang off of his nose, and he wears Liam’s blocky, red and black plaid shirt. There is something about seeing him in his clothes that make him feel a bit possessive, a bit elated -

“Hey,” Liam greets, pushing off the door frame and bringing Zayn’s attention to him as he closes the door behind him. Zayn smiles softly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“Hey yourself,” Zayn greets, shifting the book to the nightstand.

Liam climbs onto the bed, hunching over Zayn to press a quick kiss to his lips. He fingers the plaid shirt, grinning some. “My shirt?”

“Was cold,” Zayn says defensively, cheeks flaming as Liam’s eyes rake down his body.

He wears one of those half shirts underneath, the loose black one, that reveals the way his belly bunches from the way he sits. It kind of takes his breath away, and he folds a hand over Zayn’s belly before dragging it under the shirt and expanding his fingers across the playing card inked on his ribcage.

“Should have put a regular shirt on then,” Liam teases, hovering his smile over Zayn’s lips.

“Or you can warm me up.”

Liam shifts then, moving his leg to Zayn’s side to settle into his lap. Zayn’s hands come to his back immediately, legs moving to fit him better. Liam takes the arms of his glasses between his fingers, slowly pulling them off as he presses a kiss to his forehead.

He places the glasses on the nightstand before cupping Zayn’s sides, watching the way his palms slide over Zayn’s bare skin. “I like it, you - you in my clothes.”

Zayn drags Liam down so their lips can meet. He tilts his head to slot their lips perfectly. It is a slow kiss, a calm one - just a simple drag of the lips against each other. He likes these ones too, ones that don’t lead to anything other than Liam’s chest filling with a feeling he can’t explain, but he wants to overdose on it.

“Feeling better?"

Zayn grimaces, a flush running up his cheeks. He had called out of work this morning due to the fact he refused to leave Liam's bed, claiming he was too hungover to move.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout last night. I know you said I wasn't an annoying drunk but -"

"Adorable," Liam offers, lips quirking up as he circles his thumb against his cheek. "Talking about how much you love me massive cock."

"Shut up," Zayn groans, knocking his head back against the headboard. "Did I say anything else?"

Liam's smile falters, an uncomfortable feeling settling in his chest as he remembers Zayn mentioning he had a show tonight.

"No, just that you're desperate to suck me off," Liam laughs, hoping the nerves can't be heard.

Zayn pushes Liam off of his lap, laughing loudly. Liam drags Zayn with him, pulling him down the bed to wrap his arms around him and pull him to his chest.

"Your words, love. Not mine."

Zayn grumbles, smoothing his hand under the back of Liam's shirt. "I didn't mean it."

"Sure," Liam snorts. He scrapes his lips across Zayn's hairline. "Wanna take a quick kip and maybe I can give you this massive cock afterwards -"

"Shut up," Zayn says loudly, muffling his laugh against Liam's throat. "You have an itty bitty dick, babe."

"Oh yeah?" Liam huffs out, raising a brow as he rolls Zayn onto his back. He drags his lips against his ear as he whispers, "is that why it makes you moan like that?"

Zayn groans quietly, knocking his cheek against Liam's. "Do you wanna kip or not?"

Liam presses a soft kiss to Zayn's lips before he settles his cheek on Zayn's chest, his fingers spread underneath Zayn's shirt and Zayn's carding through his hair.

"You also said you're in love with my beard," Liam tells him, smiling softly. He rather focus on that instead, even though he knows Zayn probably doesn't mean it the way he wants him to. "That you're going to grow yours out so we can be lumberjack boyfriends."

Zayn slides his fingers down the side of his face before scratching his nails through the scruff against his jaw, inhaling sharply. "It's true. I love it much more than that massive cock of yours."

Liam laughs tiredly, pinching his side. He wants to know if Zayn meant it, that he wants to be boyfriends - regular boyfriends, but he is too afraid to ask. "Quiet, babe. Lemme sleep."

+*

"Condom, babe."

Liam stretches, fingering for the package under the pillow before he slides it into Zayn's hand where it lays on the mattress by his side.

Zayn's tongue slides against his skin, dragging against his belly, mouthing around his navel, too close to where Liam's cock lies heavy and untouched. Flushed to the root and leaking out messily against his navel and his belly tenses when Zayn drags his tongue across the gloss, too close to the tip.

“Tease,” Liam grits out, overwhelmed sounding as he cards his fingers through Zayn’s hair. He snickers, nipping at Liam’s skin before working his way back up to his chest. He pauses for only a moment to suck a mark between his collarbones, dragging out a rough moan from Liam's lips.

"Gonna show you summat," Zayn murmurs huskily, climbing up Liam so he can hover his face over his. He tickles his fingers over Liam’s swollen nipple, reddened and sore from the way Zayn had teased them earlier. "But you can touch as much as you want, however you want, alright babe?"

Liam groans low in his throat, muffling it against Zayn's lips before he pulls away. There is a dark look in his eyes as he crawls down Liam's legs, making arousal burst down his spine before Zayn can even get a hand around him.

When he does, Liam can't help the shaky moan he lets out. They have been rolling around the sheets, lips stitched together and dry humping for like two hours it feels like and Liam had felt like was on the edge of going mad when he stretched Zayn eagerly but Zayn wanted to take his time kissing every inch of Liam's skin afterwards.

(Not that Liam really minds, but his dick throbs under Zayn's touch and he really needs Zayn to hurry up now.)

“Gonna work y’self on me cock, love?”

Zayn drags the condom down his length, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth when he nods. “Want you to be rough with me, okay?”

Liam huffs out, spreading his legs. He looks so soft when he says it, tiny between Liam’s legs and a rush of red taking over his cheeks. His eyelashes flutter when he looks up at Liam, smoothing his palms down his thighs as he waits for Liam to respond.

Liam nods, his heart thudding fast in his chest as he watches Zayn smirk lopsidedly before he turns around.

“Fuck,” Liam murmurs, taking in the wiry muscles wrapped around Zayn’s back, thicker around his shoulders and the arch of his spine. He eyes the bulge of muscle in his bicep as he reaches back to wrap his spit slicked fingers around Liam, head tilting back.

Liam slides his palms across his bum, eliciting a moan from Zayn’s lips as he spreads his cheeks. He listens to the soft whimpers Zayn lets out as he rolls his hips back against Liam, Liam’s fingers digging harshly into his skin.

It is obscene, watching the way his cock disappears between Zayn’s cheeks, his hole swollen and slick. The way his back arches as he sinks further down, his hands coming to cover Liam’s, who kneads and squeezes him, trying to keep himself from thrusting up into Zayn like he wants to.

Zayn huffs out when he bottoms out. He stays still for a moment, seated in Liam’s lap as he adjusts. Liam smoothes his hands down his hips and to his calves, just needing to touch him because he feels like he could burst if he doesn’t.

Zayn leans forward, hands on Liam’s calves as he eases himself back up his prick slowly, giving Liam a better view of the way he swallows his cock when he sinks back down. He goes at a steady pace after a moment, whimpering out quietly.

Liam huffs out harsh moans as he watches the expert way Zayn rolls his hips down, the way the bottom of his spine arches as he pulls up and rounds when he fucks back down. The way he changes the speed and fucks down on Liam quickly, shallow strokes past the rim as he rides the head and Liam has to cup his cheeks again, feeling the way they tremble from the fast way they move.

Liam grips into his skin roughly, guiding his hips’ movements before pulling him back down on his cock so he can grind deep into Zayn. Zayn trembles, whimpering quietly as Liam does it again, over and over until his whimpers turn into something louder and seemingly deafening in the quiet room.

“Shh,” Liam moans, tapping Zayn’s arse gently. It isn’t late enough to be assured that everyone is asleep, and even if Zayn didn’t want to keep this a secret, it is still common courtesy -

It has the opposite effect as Zayn moans out again, rocking back against Liam. “Again, babe.”

“What?” Liam groans, eyes clenching shut as he squeezes Zayn’s bum again. He knows what he means, he just -

He can’t believe Zayn is real, sometimes. And he is overwhelmed that he gets to see Zayn like this, eager and desperate, trying to be quiet but unable to do so as he fucks himself on Liam’s dick.

“Spank me, babe,” Zayn huffs as he takes over again, slowly working himself on Liam’s length. “Get rough, yeah -”

“Oh god,” Liam murmurs before he complies hesitantly, flattening his palm and bringing it down to the curve of Zayn’s bum. The soft smack seems much louder but he does it again, harder, feeling the sting against his palm.

“Oh fuck,” Zayn moans, taking on that high pitched sound he makes when he gets close. “Liam, please - again.”

Liam grabs him roughly, feeling that arousal course through him that feels hard to control when he nears closer to the edge. It pulses out through his fingers, bruising Zayn’s skin before he lets go and brings his palm down flat against Zayn’s bum, the sound of skin on skin even louder than Zayn’s moan.

Red expands across his skin immediately and Liam rolls a palm over it, dragging his thumb over the sore skin as an apology. Zayn pushes back onto his knees, fingers wrapping around Liam’s thighs as he fucks down faster, knees digging into Liam’s sides like he is trying to stop the way his legs tremble.

Liam moves to the other cheek, focusing on the way Zayn reacts each time he brings his hand down. He covers his mouth at one point, head tilted back, a spasm running through the muscles of his back.

“Oh _fuck_ , Zayn,” Liam groans loudly, sitting up abruptly as he slides his arms around Zayn’s belly. He drags him down onto his dick roughly, teeth grazing at Zayn’s shoulder.

Zayn rests his head back on his shoulder as Liam smoothes his hands across his belly and down his thighs, exploring his skin before he wraps a loose hand around him.

He rubs his thumb around the swollen head as he strokes quickly into Zayn, a firm hand on his hip to drag him back to meet each thrust. He teases the slit the way Zayn likes, feeling Zayn clench around him as his fingers tug through Liam’s hair.

“Close,” Zayn breathes shakily, knocking his lips against Liam’s cheek as he turns his head.

Liam doesn’t get it out that he is too before he comes, Zayn clenching around his dick as he milks out across the sheets and down Liam’s fingers. He mouths at Zayn’s lips, feeling every whimper and moan that rushes past his tongue as he grinds back against Liam.

“Beautiful,” Liam breathes as Zayn seats himself back against him, legs trembling. He looks good like this, eyes heavy and skin flushed, silver hair sticking to his forehead. He looks completely fucked out, and fuck - Liam is starting to think beautiful is no longer the proper word to describe him.

Zayn hums, dragging Liam back in for a kiss that is much calmer than Liam feels. His heart thumps heavily in his chest as he tries to calm down, soft moans still rolling off his tongue and onto Zayn’s, setting the tune that they dance against each other to.

When Liam’s calmed, Zayn eases off of him gently, using careful fingers to slip the condom off of him. He stumbles on the carpet some, giggling quietly as he pads over to the waste basket near his desk.

“Alright, Zed?” Liam calls, rolling off of the bed to follow him. It is darker on this side of the room, away from the light that shines through Zayn’s window. He can just make out Zayn before his hands are on his waist, dragging him closer.

Liam rubs a finger against his warm cheek, tilting his head some. “I didn’t hurt you?”

Zayn chuckles softly, shaking his head. “Not even close, babe. I want that - you being rough with me, sometimes. If um, if you want sometimes. Rougher.”

Liam inhales sharply. He may have watched Zayn for two years, seeing how dirty his mouth is and how obscene he can be, but he doesn’t think he is ever going to be able to wrap his head around it.

“I just don’t want to hurt you.”

Zayn runs his palms up his chest before hooking them around the back of his neck. “You won’t, I trust you.”

Liam groans softly, knocking his lips against Zayn’s. They part instantly, tongue snaking out to roll against Liam’s. They are simple words, ones Liam hadn’t thought about now but they make his chest tight and he feels determined to prove to Zayn that he can.

+*

"I need your help."

Zayn slides his feet from where they are tucked under Liam's legs away as Niall slumps down onto the couch on the other side of Liam. He looks stressed, fingers twirling through his hair like he does whenever he does his homework.

"Yes, if not for him, for me," Louis adds, following in behind him. "If I have to hear how much he loves that curly headed bastard one more time, I'm going to lose it."

Liam chuckles, turning to Niall but his fingers scrape over Zayn's ankle, his thumb rubbing circles against his skin. Liam’s face doesn’t change any as Zayn watches for it. He doesn’t want to hide whatever this is from his roommates anymore, especially Harry, but he can’t read how Liam feels about it.

And they kind of have to figure out what they _are_ , before they tell anyone about it.

"I dunno how to tell him," Niall complains, frowning at Louis. "I can't just say 'hey, I l- I love you.'"

"Why not?" Louis balks, making Zayn laugh because he is pretty sure that would be the height of romance in Harry's eyes since Harry was over the moon after Niall said it while half asleep.

"Yeah, Harry's easy mate," Zayn pipes in. “I’m sure that will do just fine.”

Niall groans, clenching his eyes shut as he drags a hand down his face. "Liam? Any help here?"

Liam shrugs, lips quirking up. "Be yourself?"

"Oh great," Niall says, throwing his hands up as he makes a frustrated noise. "That is shit advice, mate. You're supposed to be the king of romance, dude."

Zayn watches the way Liam flushes a bright red color as he shakes his head in disagreement.

"That's a um, bit of an exaggeration," Liam coughs out, avoiding Zayn's gaze and the amused smile Zayn wears. It fits, Liam being the romantic type. Even if they haven’t gone on dates other than the first, or done much that could be considered romantic, he can tell by the way Liam kisses him sometimes like he wants to put everything in his chest into it, the way he touches him so delicately sometimes -

"No," Niall says seriously. "Remember that time you bought Dani like eight dozen roses for your like, second month anniversary or summat."

Jealousy flares through Zayn and he tries to ignore it, focusing on the way Liam squeezes his ankle. He has heard of Dani before, thrown into the conversation randomly between Niall and Liam, but he has never thought twice about it.

"They were tulips," Liam clarifies nervously. He drags his thumb over Zayn's skin, like he knows about the jealousy Zayn feels like he isn't allowed to feel.

Niall rolls his eyes, looking at Zayn as he points a finger toward Liam. "I'm sure you know, Zayner. Wolfie here is a right romantic."

Cold pours down Zayn's spine at the word, his body tensing but Liam doesn't seem to notice. Only frowns at Niall as panic takes hold of Zayn, his mind muddling instantly as he tries to make sense of what Niall just said.

"What does that mean?"

Zayn's heart thuds heavily in his chest, loud over Niall's _shut up we all know you got somethin' weird going on between you. Heard your ‘oh fuck, Zayn’ last night. I’m not deaf, mate_ -

Wolfie, he called Liam _Wolfie_ -

"I thought we were talking about you and Harry," Liam snaps defensively before looking at Zayn with a grin. It disappears when he takes in Zayn's expression, brows furrowing and lips pushing together in concern.

"Yes," Louis exclaims. "Just blurt it out, like you said. I don’t want to talk about last night. Thanks a lot Liam, I didn’t need to know you _or_ Zayn sounded like that -"

"Um, excuse me," Zayn manages, pushing away from the couch. Niall and Louis go on talking, and he can feel Liam's eyes on him as he walks out, but he doesn’t care because he feels like he is being cocooned in panic.

He inhales deeply, trying not to freak out. It has to be a coincidence, right? The nickname, or maybe he misheard it. And Niall called him something close, like soapy or something.

Zayn groans, clapping a hand over his face as he sinks into his room. Of course it isn't a coincidence, it can't be. What kind of joke would that be, both of them being nicknamed Wolfie -

As big of a joke as Zayn finding himself involved in whatever with Wolfie93 and not even knowing about it.

A knock at his door drags him from his thoughts and he knows it is Liam before he looks up. He stands there, brows furrowed in concern. He comes in without asking, closing the door behind him quietly.

"Alright?"

He cups Zayn's cheeks, tilting his head back as he searches his face. Zayn doesn’t respond, can’t find any other word to say other than Wolfie, as it chants through his mind.  

"Is this about Dani? I promise we are completely done, over."

Zayn huffs out a laugh. Surely if Liam was Wolfie, he would understand Zayn's freak out. Right? He would have to know that Zayn wouldn't just shrug that off, that that would be the first thing to pop into his head.

"I know," Zayn sighs, sliding his palms up Liam's back. "I'm not jealous, I mean - we aren't dating, Li."

"Still yours," Liam murmurs softly. He rubs his fingers against Zayn’s cheeks, and it doesn’t ease the panic in him like it normally does. “It’s not about what Niall said? About hearing us last night -”

Zayn sighs, searching Liam’s face as he tries to shove all of his thoughts out of his head and focus on the way Liam just said he was his. “Does it bother you? That they know?”

Liam shakes his head. “Want everyone to know how I feel about you babe, just um, wasn’t sure how you felt about it.”

His face scrunches together as he smiles, waiting for Zayn to respond but he doesn’t. The way his eyes crunch together doesn’t ease him like it normally does, and Zayn crashes his lips to Liam’s, hoping that will.

+*

"Are you and Liam shagging?"

Zayn looks up at Harry on the other side of the counter, feeling his face burn red. He doesn't respond, only takes the stack of books he had placed on the counter to ring them up. He knows Harry will just push him to respond, but he foolishly hopes Harry won’t actually do that this time.

"Liam has this big ass thing on his neck that so happens to match that one," Harry goes on, flicking Zayn in the neck before he can flinch away. Harry gives him an expectant look, hands cupping his hips over the sheer material of his shirt. “And he had one last week too.”

Zayn drags his teeth against his bottom lip, shrugging. He feels guilty that Niall and Louis have caught on and he hasn’t, but it isn’t really his fault because he knows he does a shit job at covering the marks Liam leaves behind. "I mean, a little. Yeah?"

"A little," Harry repeats flatly. "What the fuck does that mean?"

Zayn snorts, sliding the scanner over the barcode on the inside of the book. Harry’s fascination with his love life has never made sense to him, because he has sworn over and over he doesn’t mind not being in a relationship.

Until now, at least.

"Well, that's not all we do."

"Oh my god," Harry gasps, eyes widening almost comically. "I thought you were going to deny it. How long has this been going on? Why didn't you tell me? Does he have a big dick? Did you -"

"Harry," Zayn cuts him off abruptly, his face burning even more. “I’m not going into detail. That is all I’m telling you.”

“Oh but come on,” Harry complains. He wiggles his eyebrows, a smirk that Zayn hates growing on his face. “You owe me for not telling me.”

Zayn hesitates, a grin growing on his own lips. “Fine, but before I tell you anything, I should probably tell you that Niall asked Liam for his help yesterday on how to tell you he loves you.”

The reaction is as Zayn hoped for with his diversion tactic. The smirk slips off Harry’s face as his expression forms into something serious, like he has just stumbled upon a dead body or a deer caught in headlights.

“What? What do you mean? When does he have it planned? Were you there, or are you just taking the piss?”

Zayn barks out a laugh as he places Harry’s books into one of the bags with the shop logo on them and reaches for his credit card. “I’m serious, mate. Was proper stressed over it.”

“Oh my god,” Harry breathes, looking away from Zayn as he struggles to fight the smile taking over his face. It makes Zayn smile too because he reckons he cares about Harry’s love life just as much as the lad cares about his, or at least his heart, which he thinks is safe with Niall. “Oh my god.”

“Yeah, and -”

Harry holds up a hand to quiet him, shaking his head as he closes his eyes. “Wait, I’m trying to process. When is it going down?”

Zayn snorts, rolling his eyes at the serious way Harry had whispered the last part. “I don’t know when Operation I Love You is going down,” he whispers back, ducking his head forward and looking around like someone might hear them.

Harry grabs the bag, looking frantic as he jogs off towards the door, ignoring the way Zayn teases him. “I’ll call you later. Gotta find Niall, and don’t think I’m going to forget about this Liam thing.”

+*

Liam straddles Zayn's legs before smoothing his palms up his back, digging in the heels of his palms where he feels the tense of his muscles. He has seemed a bit off the last few days, and Liam isn't sure why. Zayn has sworn the Dani thing hadn't bothered him, that he didn’t care if Niall and Louis knew they were messing around, but something did -

He wants to ask what it is, but he won’t make Zayn uncomfortable. He is quieter than normal but not shying away when Liam touches him, and kisses back when Liam brushes their lips together, so it eases his worries that it is something between them. He is just worried in general -

Zayn groans softly as his eyes close, Liam's fingers digging into the dip of his shoulders before slipping and massaging back down his back. He leans forward, brushing a kiss at the back of Zayn's neck as he digs his fingers in circular motions down the muscles around his spine.

"Okay?" Liam mutters, shifting back up to rub at the muscles by his hips. He rubs lower, working over the small dip at the bottom of his spine. There are small bruises around his hips, and Liam knows there are longer, finger shaped ones on his bum. He had pressed kisses to them the night before, tonguing apologies across his skin as Zayn squirmed across the sheets.

"Yeah," Zayn huffs out as Liam works up his spine, rolling his thumbs over each knob. "Two exams today."

Liam hums, remembering the way Zayn had practically flown out of bed this morning, waking up earlier than Liam - which is rare. "Is that why you've seemed so off?"

Zayn tenses again and Liam does too, hoping he hadn't sounded rude. He parts his lips to apologize when Zayn speaks.

"Yeah, was stressful. I think I'm going to go home for the weekend. Always eases me a bit. Miss my dad."

Liam kisses at his spine as he massages up his back, hoping Zayn is eased by him too. He wants him to be, craves to be someone Zayn can find comfort in. "I'll miss you."

Zayn moans softly as Liam's fingers dig back into his shoulders, his lips tugging up into a small smile, his cheek nuzzling into one of Liam’s pillows. “I’ll miss you too, babe.”

Liam drags his smile across his jaw, warming a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “You’re not going to find someone new in Bradford while you’re gone, are you?”

“Two days, babe,” Zayn laughs. Liam tickles his fingers  down Zayn’s arms, slipping them through the spaces between his own underneath the pillow he rests on. His chest plants to Zayn’s back, forearms resting on the mattress to keep most of his weight off of him. “And I’m taking all of your clothes to wear.”

Liam hums, brushing his lips across his temple. It is intimate, the calm that has settled around them, both of them soaking in the warmth of the other. Zayn doesn’t shy away from him when he wants to touch just to touch, with no intent other than to satiate his need to touch Zayn’s skin. “Leave something for me.”

“I’ll think about it,” Zayn sighs, words coated in amusement before Liam covers his mouth with his own.

+*

“Beta.”

Zayn grins, tucking his face against his dad’s chest as he hugs him, not waiting to step into the house before he does so. Yaser chuckles softly, cupping the back of his head as he kisses the top of it.

“Come inside. It is getting cold outside.”

Zayn nods, tightening Liam’s leather jacket around him. He hadn’t even considered taking this one with him, but Liam had wrapped it around his shoulders, over the plaid shirt before he could leave the apartment. He shushed Zayn when he had frowned in confusion, because the air is crisp and cool now and he isn’t sure if Liam owns another.

But he is glad at the same time, because it is soaked with the scent of Liam’s cologne and the bath gel he uses, the scent of cigarettes and the garage mixing in with it. He can almost pretend the warmth that comes from the heavy leather comes from Liam instead.  

“Where is everyone?” Zayn asks, shuffling into the kitchen and finding it empty. Strange, for a Saturday morning. The scent of coffee hangs in the air, over whatever it is that makes up the smell of home -

And it makes a breath catch in his throat, the scent of Liam mixing in with his home because he hadn’t realized how badly he craves for those two parts of his life to collide together.

“Shopping,” Yaser tells him with a sigh, taking a mug from the cupboard. The one Safaa had made for their father when she had been little, drawing on five stick figures and a shaky _I love family_ around  it, but Zayn had claimed it as his own.  “Your mother claims that you’ve being starved at your new place. She needs more food, or summat. Gonna send some with you.”

Zayn snorts, taking the mug from him. “I eat fine. But I won’t oppose taking some home.”

Yaser shrugs, making a face that only ever applies to his mother when she starts fretting for no reason. “I’m not complaining. I look forward to dinner tonight.”

Zayn grins, settling against the counter. He feels eased already, just from being home for a few minutes. He has another exam on Monday, and he is pretty sure he didn’t do so hot on his last two the other day. Plus, his mind can’t choose what it wants to think about in regards to Liam. Being something more than whatever they are, figuring out what they are, or focusing on that nag of a thought that keeps telling him his nickname is Wolfie.

It means nothing, he knows it. And he refuses to think about how Liam was born the same year as him, 1993. He absolutely refuses.

“Before your Mum gets home though,” Yaser starts, frowning as he turns towards Zayn. “What’s this I hear about you having a boyfriend?”

Zayn feels his face go hot immediately, and it isn’t from the steam of the coffee mug he hides behind. “I dunno.”

Yaser looks amused, quirking up an eyebrow at him. “Your sister ratted on you, I’m afraid.”

Zayn sighs, rolling his eyes as he sets the mug down. He doesn’t quite like talking about relationships with his parents, because Yaser always teases and his mother always frets, and it makes him feel embarrassed. They bicker sometimes, Yaser telling Tricia to back off and leave Zayn alone, Zayn’s mum swatting Yaser on the shoulder when he makes Zayn’s cheeks burn too much.

“She thinks I fancy my roommate, Liam.”

“Liam,” Yaser repeats, grinning behind his mug, eyes bright with humor. “So if I ask Harry about Liam he will say -”

“No,” Zayn blurts, face crumpling as he frowns at his dad. He isn't actually sure if he would, but knowing him, it is very likely and he regrets saying his name.

Yaser laughs loudly, clapping Zayn on the shoulder and the sound soothes him but not enough to ease the heavy thump of his heart against his sternum, thinking about Liam meeting his father.

“I want to meet him,” he says.

“Baba,” Zayn complains, clenching his eyes shut, even though he doesn’t mean it. He just knows Yaser will try to scare Liam just for fun, just to see how flustered Zayn will get and to make Waliyha giggle at him because those two always team up against him.

“What? Sounds like a good guy.”

Zayn narrows his eyes at him as he laughs loudly, his hands going up in defense. “Harry might have ratted you out too. But I promise, I didn’t pry.”

He is thankful for the sound of tires on the pavement, the slamming of the doors and the loud, excited _Zayn's here_ so he can slip away from his father's knowing smile. He makes a mental note to send Harry a rude text message.

Waliyha wraps her arms around his waist as he wraps his around her shoulders, tugging her close. A rush of calm goes through him instantly, and he presses a messy kiss to her forehead, one that makes her squirm and grumble but she doesn’t let him go first.

"Hey sunshine," Tricia greets warmly, patting his cheek as Waliyha slips away from him. "Alright?"

Zayn nods, smiling softly because even when nothing is wrong he feels better at home.

Until lately, where he feels the best with Liam pressed against him. He isn’t aware of the way he misses little things about his home sometimes, but he is always aware of how much he misses the little Liam things when they are apart from each other.

"Yes Mummy."

"Good," she says, heading towards the kitchen. "Get those bags in the car and tell me all about your Liam. I regret not talking to him more when I was ‘round."

Zayn groans, shuffling after her as he takes Safaa’s hand into his own. Her eyes widen, giving him a guilty look but he only tickles his fingers through her hair, lips quirking up.

+*

_Holy fuck -_

Zayn’s breath gets caught in his lungs as he eyes the photo on his phone. Liam had asked him if he could wear one of the shirts from his closet, but he hadn’t been expecting _that_.

Liam is in their bathroom, thumb hooked on the band of his joggers, dragging the material down to show off more of that sharp V and the dark hair that trails underneath them. Zayn can still see some of the mouth shaped bruises he had left across his hips the night before, knowing there are marks scattered across his thighs too. His brows are furrowed, lip caught between his teeth and a bloody obscene look in his eyes as he stares into the phone he holds.

The black material is tighter on his shoulders, stretching across them and showing off the bulge of muscles in his arms. It rakes up higher up his torso than it does on Zayn, showing off more than just the lower part of his belly, but most of it. His body is curved some to the side, making the muscles of his abdomen pop out obscenely.

Zayn groans quietly, adjusting himself as his cock twitches in interest, eyes locked on the photo, unable to think of anything to respond with. His phone vibrates before he can get the chance to get himself together, Liam’s name popping up in a message at the top of his screen.

_i like it better on u lol_

Zayn sighs, tapping away quickly, eyes on where he can still see the photo over Liam’s message instead of the keypad.

_ur kiln me? tryin 2 at least_

His phone vibrates again, but this time Liam’s face pops up on his screen, a photo of him that he had taken while Liam had been laying on the couch, book in his hand as he pretended to be reading.

“What are you going on about?”

Zayn pouts at Liam’s voice because he sounds like he knows exactly what Zayn is going on about. Zayn can’t tell if Liam is aware of how obscene he is, or how easily it can drive Zayn crazy, or not sometimes.

"Nothing. I'm just calling to tell you we are over."

Liam barks out a laugh that warms through Zayn's system, making his own lips tug up. "Baby, I called you."

Zayn bites his lip. _Baby_. He feels like he is in sixth form again, giggling on the phone with what’s her name until his mum banged on his door for him to go to sleep. "Well, either way. It still stands. My sister is right through the wall babe, you can’t tease me.”

“I thought I looked good. Thought about posting it on Instagram -”

“No,” Zayn says quickly, feeling his face flush and he giggles at himself. “Don’t you dare, Payno. I will report you.”

Liam snorts out a laugh, followed by a giggle that makes Zayn cover his face because his fondness for Liam is almost as hard to handle as they way his cock plumps so easily, just by looking at him, hearing his voice. “Come home quick, okay babe? I miss you.”

“Miss you too,” Zayn murmurs. “Don’t leave the house like that.”

Liam barks out another laugh before he says goodnight and waits for Zayn to hang up. He slumps back against the pillows when he does, dragging Liam’s shirt up to his nose, the smell of him doing little to ease the way he misses Liam asleep beside him.

+*

“Hey Paddy.”

Paddy claps a hand on Zayn’s shoulder, his smile big on his face. “Hey there, Zayn. Looking for Payno?”

Zayn nods, nibbling on his bottom lip as he follows where Paddy points through the busy garage. It is louder than normal, the sounds of engines and metal on metal, the buzz of chatter vibrating underneath it all. He finds Liam easily through it all, his breath catching in his throat.

He holds the roof of the car up with one arm, bicep bulging as he bends down to look at the engine. Zayn can see the way his shoulder blades poke out of the back of his shirt, the ripple of muscle underneath the thin material. It rides up enough that Zayn can see the dimples at the bottom of his spine, the start of his red briefs and the way they wrap around the swell of his hips.

“He hasn’t had a break yet, I reckon you should take him out to eat or summat,” Paddy goes on with a grin. “Not that it is any of my business, but I have a feeling you’re exactly who he wants to see.”

Zayn huffs out a laugh, his face warming as he wonders what Liam has said about him to Paddy. He can tell they are close, just from the way they interact and the way Liam talks about him, fond and respectful. “It is almost seven, how come he hasn’t had a break?”

Paddy shrugs, frowning as he looks back at Liam. “Seems distracted today, lot on his mind. Probably just working to not think about it.”

Zayn’s face crumples as he nods and makes his way over to Liam quietly through the people taking up the garage. He watches the way Liam flinches as he slides his fingers over the peek of skin between his shirt and briefs, his shoulder tensing before he looks over his shoulder.

He has missed Liam more than he thought he would while he had been gone, his every thought somehow trailing back to him no matter how hard he had tried for it not to. He has forced out his worries about the nickname, choosing to focus on everything Liam does that proves he can't be Wolfie93.

Because he knows he has a tendency to see the worst in people as a way not to get attached, but he is working on it because it is a little too late for him to not get attached to Liam.

Liam relaxes immediately, cheeks bunching up as he spots Zayn. He lets go of the roof, grabbing for the dirty handkerchief that hangs in the back pocket of his jeans to wipe off his hands as he turns towards him.

“Fancy some food?” Zayn offers. “Paddy said you’ve got a lot on your mind, haven’t taken a break?”

Liam shrugs, sliding his handkerchief back into his pocket. Zayn wants to kiss him desperately and does, leaning forward to press a quick peck to the corner of Liam’s lips, hoping he doesn’t care that they are surrounded by people. They haven’t discussed whatever they are being a secret, but Zayn can’t quite be sure. But he has needed to kiss Liam for over forty eight hours now.

Because while gone, a lot of his thoughts about Liam were trying to define this feeling in his chest, and realizing it made him want to come back home and whisper them against his skin.

His smile widens, that brightness taking over his warm brown eyes. A chant of ‘I’m yours’ plays over in Zayn’s head, making his throat feel tight because he wants it to be true.

"Just thinking about you," Liam admits, grinning nervously, eyelashes fluttering as he looks down at his feet and then back up at Zayn.

Zayn's brows furrow as he pouts. "Is it - do you like, want me to leave?"

Liam wraps his fingers around his wrist, tugging him closer as he laughs. Zayn holds his hips, pouting at him because it isn't funny the way his heart stopped in his chest for a moment.

"No, no. I just think a lot, doesn’t mean it is bad. I was just thinking about like - I realized that I sleep better with you next to me ‘cause I didn’t sleep too well while you were gone.”

Zayn softens, the feeling in his chest taking over and making his heart feel like it is being tugged out of it. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don't be,” Liam chuckles softly, dragging a finger down his jaw before hooking it under his chin. “Just sleep with me tonight, yeah?”

Zayn nods. “Only if you agree to go on a date with me tomorrow.”

Liam’s eyes crinkle as he smiles, but he doesn’t respond, only presses his smile to Zayn’s lips and he takes that as a yes. He wanted Liam to make the first move, to take this relationship into something more defined, but his patience has never been good.

"And model that crop top for me."

Liam snorts, tickling his fingers under Zayn's chin. "You have a lot of demands, babe."

Zayn pouts, pinching his hip. "You're the one that teased me. It is only fair."

Liam only presses a quick kiss to his lips before he turns to close the engine, the evidence that he meant to tease clear on his lips.

+*

“Come on, Liam, hands above your head.”

Liam feels the flush creep up his chest as he grabs the back of the chair, sinking in his seat some as he squeezes the wood to make his muscles bulge. He can see the same flush in Zayn’s cheeks, the harsh way he swallows before he brings the camera up to his face.

“Beautiful,” Zayn murmurs, snapping a photo before taking a step back and taking another. Liam furrows his brows, shifting higher up on the chair, making his lips pouty and embracing the sharp exhale Zayn lets out as he takes another.

The house is quiet other than the muffled music he can hear playing from Zayn's room from this morning, when Liam had tried to wake him up in every way he could think of as gentle until he gave up and wrapped himself around him, peppering quick kisses to his lips. Liam had been restless, nervous about their date tonight but he calmed when Zayn pushed him onto his back to curl into his side, cheek pressed to his chest and grumbling something like _one more hour please._

Zayn places his camera down, climbing into Liam’s lap and sliding his hands to cover Liam’s, stitching them to the chair as he presses a messy kiss to his lips. “Wanna try on the other shirt now?”

Liam rolls his eyes, but he pushes off of the chair after Zayn does, patting Zayn’s bum before padding towards his bedroom. It isn’t often they have the apartment to themselves, and they are supposed to be getting ready to go on their date tonight, but Zayn had asked to take photos of him and well - Zayn is quite hard to say no to.

Liam tugs off the black henley before reaching for a shirt in his laundry bin, an idea popping into his head that makes him grin before slipping the small material on.

"C'mere baby!" Liam calls as he slips his jeans past his hips, stumbling across the carpet as he rushes to kick them off. He likes to tease Zayn, because he is adorable when he pouts and gets frustrated, and overwhelming when he reciprocates the teasing.

“Liam, what the fuck.”

Liam smirks, turning to him. Zayn’s face is beet red, his eyes wide and alarmed as he rakes them down Liam’s body. It isn't a touch but a shiver still runs across his skin, his chest warming from the way Zayn looks at him.

Liam looks down at himself, at the bare of his belly and the bare of his thighs. His black briefs hug his hips and the gray crop top he knicked from Zayn’s room the second day he was gone barely covers him.

“Come on,” Liam chuckles, urging him in with a wave of his hand. “Tell me how to stand.”

“Stretch,” Zayn murmurs after a long moment, bringing the camera back to his face as he comes closer. Liam listens, reaching his arms above him, cupping the back of his head, the material dragging even higher up his torso.

“Wanna touch yourself now?" Zayn murmurs quietly, taking a step back and snapping a photo.

"Where?" Liam whispers back, sliding his teeth over his bottom lip. He isn't sure how Zayn can show off with so many people he doesn't know watching him, when he is more than comfortable with Zayn and he feels nervous with his eyes and the lens on him.

"Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Zayn goes on, looking from over his camera. His eyes are dark, his lips reddened from biting them.

Liam bites the inside of his lip as a tremble of arousal runs through him and he listens, but teases Zayn with a slide of his fingers down his belly before he cups himself, feeling his prick already starting to plump from Zayn’s eyes on him.

"Tease," Zayn says tightly before bending his knees some to change the angle of the photo.

Liam grins, hooking his thumb on his briefs and dragging them down enough that he reveals the coarse hair underneath them. Zayn makes a throaty sound before taking the picture.

“On the bed?”

Fuck. “Yeah, okay.”

It is a bit weird, but Liam feels comfortable with Zayn as he climbs onto the bed, following his instruction to lean against the headboard, to part his legs and plant one of his feet on the bed. He cups his knee, running his other hand up the small shirt and dragging it up his chest.

“Liam, stop,” Zayn murmurs roughly, dropping the camera onto bed carefully before closing the space between them. He occupies the space between Liam’s legs as he places his palm on his belly, leaning forward to trap Liam’s lips against his.

Zayn’s hands explore his torso, warming across his abdomen and down his sides, rushing up towards his chest and nails dragging over his nipples as he rolls his tongue against his own.

“If you really didn’t want to go on a date, you could have just told me,” Zayn murmurs, tilting his head before dragging his teeth against Liam’s bottom lip. Liam cups the back of his head, guiding Zayn’s head so he can take over the kiss.

“What do you mean?” Liam breathes, feeling Zayn’s hands scrape down his thighs, his knuckles dragging between his legs.

“Don’t play innocent, you know I know you aren’t.”

Liam laughs, pulling back to see the pout on Zayn’s lips. It’s awfully adorable and he peppers kisses to his lips, cheeks pressed between his palms. “Come on. I promise I’ll be good until after our date.”

Zayn grins. “Okay, but let me take a few more. Roll over.”

+*

It is a small crowd, maybe a hundred people or so, crowded in front of a small stage. The music is loud, playing songs he has never heard before but Liam clearly has, as he sings the words into his ear. His arms are tight around his middle, chin hooked on his shoulder and it is just - perfect. A word he has been looking for this whole time in order to describe Liam, and he has finally found it.

_Yeah, she likes that late night, feel night, want to give them a show -_

“What are they called again?” Zayn calls over his shoulder. It is different than the type of his music, a bit more rockier than the normal Indie he listens to, which Liam had said that was their genre.

“Lydia. Do you like them?”

Zayn nods, rocking back against Liam as the people around them scream out the lyrics. It feels like they are in their own world though, a calm that has settled around them that contrasts with the excitement around them. He slides his arms over Liam’s, tickling his fingers over his knuckles before tangling them with his.

“Good, ‘cause I like you,” Liam says, lips scraping against his ear as he tugs Zayn closer. Zayn can feel his smile, knows his eyes are crunching closed because of it.

He curls a hand around the back of Liam’s neck, rocking with him as the song switches to something slower. It is sadder, but Zayn feels elated, a happiness clinging onto him in the form of Liam Payne.

He hadn’t been sad or anything like that before he had met Liam, but Liam sparks something inside of him he isn’t sure he has felt in awhile. Or ever, really. Not with the last bird he let linger in his life for too long when he it had been toxic from the get go, nor the lad before her, who had warm eyes and Zayn had sworn he was in love with him, but now refuses to even think of his name.

Just a simple touch can ignite it, a pad of a finger against his skin burns happiness through him and makes him feel jittery with it. He likes that Liam touches him just to touch, like he is unable to stop himself from doing it.

"I like you a lot," Liam goes on, resting his forehead against his temple.

Zayn turns to slot their lips together, hoping Liam can feel the way he traces _I like you too_ against his tongue. He needs to be more careful when saying it, because it is starting to sound a lot more like _I love you_ -

Especially earlier, when Liam and rolled over on the bed, pushed up on his elbows so Zayn could see the curve of his spine and the thick muscles flexing along his back. The smooth skin of the back of his thighs, the little dip in his back and the small curve of his bum when he had taken another photo. Love had been at the tip of his tongue when Liam looked over his shoulder, showing that sharp jaw and all his scruff, but he had choked out _like_ at the last minute, saving himself from having to explain.

Zayn can feel the hum muffled by the loud music against his lips as Liam cups his cheek, kissing him deeper and the crowd fades away completely.

 

Liam links their fingers when Zayn steps out of the car, limbs feeling heavy as exhaustion creeps over him. The concert had ended quite late, nearly midnight but they had stayed a little longer in the crowd, talking with people who had came up to them talking about o _h you two are just the cutest -_

“Have fun?” Liam asks, squeezing his fingers as he heads towards the apartment door. Zayn nods, his lips tugging up tiredly as he squeezes back. He did have fun, even though they talked little. He enjoyed Liam’s arms around him and the feeling of his hard chest against his back, his lips at his neck and looking so coupley amongst a crowd of people they don’t know.

Liam stops them in front of the door, turning to him to fold a palm over his cheek, his skin much warmer than the crisp air surrounding them. “Do you kiss on the first date?”

Zayn giggles, shaking his head. “Not normally.”

“No?” Liam asks, amusement in his eyes as he quirks up a brow. “But you’ll make an exception for me?”

Zayn fists the lapel of his jacket, tugging him closer. “Only because I like you.”

He dodges his head when Liam goes in for the kiss, biting his tongue to hold in his laugh as he does it twice, three, four more times - until Liam makes a frustrated noise and cups the back of his head, dragging him forward with a grin on his lips.

“Does that mean I get a second date?” Liam murmurs, dragging his thumb against the corner of Zayn’s smile.

“As many as you like,” Zayn whispers back, ignoring the way that makes his heart thump heavily in his chest.

“Oh my god.”

Zayn tenses, pulling away from Liam to look over his shoulder. Harry stands in the doorway with Louis behind him, peeking from around him. There is an excited look on his face as he wiggles his eyebrows, pointing at them.

"Nialler, c'mere! Zayn and Liam are snogging!"

"I don't want to see that," Niall calls back, voice distant and disgusted, making Louis bark out a laugh.

"Oh god, you two are cute," Harry coos, amusement on his face as Zayn narrows his eyes at him.

“Go away,” Liam murmurs, dragging Zayn back into a kiss that makes Louis make a disgusted noise. Zayn's lips quirk up, that feeling in his chest from earlier coming back full force, like a relief washing through him as he kisses back.

+*

Something heavy settles in Zayn’s chest as he closes out of the show. He doesn’t like it, the way it tugs at his heart and the way the guilt makes his stomach turn. He wants to tell Liam, especially before this becomes anything official -

He just doesn’t know how to, or what Liam will think. If he will drop him immediately or take a few days to do so. He doesn’t want Liam to be disgusted or judgmental, even if he know there is nothing really wrong that he is doing - that it would be wrong for Liam to think any less of him because of it.

But there is a reason he hasn't told anyone, it makes him too nervous.

His shows have been less and less, as he has been too busy spending his free time with Liam. He doesn't mind much, as he has plenty saved from all of the shows he did over the summer. And he has lost his craving to do them, losing his liking for a few hundred pairs of eyes on him because he only wants the one pair of warm brown eyes on him now.

Zayn flops down on the bed, shoving the toys off of the edge and reaching for his phone. He doesn’t know where Liam is, and the way his chest brackets from his thoughts, he doesn’t care - he just wants Liam here with him.

It had taken him forever to get worked up at first, one of his longest shows yet. Even when he thought about Liam, it is no longer the same thing as having him touch him. His own hand is too small, his fingers too slim. Stroking off isn’t the same without Liam’s lips on his own or dragging down the column of his throat.

His orgasm wasn’t satisfying and he doesn’t even want to fuck about with Liam, he just wants those strong arms around him and that hard chest under his cheeks. He wants that sharp cologne in his nose, the hint of gasoline that never seems to go away no matter how much spray Liam soaks himself in. He wants gentle fingers in his hair and soft lips against his own, idle touches and the vibration of Liam’s humming against his temple.

“Hey,” Zayn mutters into the receiver when Liam picks up the phone. He craves just hearing his smooth voice too, his accent and the way it thickens when he is sleepy.

“Hey,” Liam says softly. “What’s wrong, love?”

“Want a cuddle,” Zayn admits quietly. “Was wondering when you were coming home?”

“I’m outside,” Liam tells him, voice tighter before like he is smoking. “I’ll be right in, yeah?”

A calm surges through Zayn as he hums out his response before hanging up. He leans over the edge of the bed to shove all his toys underneath and place his computer on the floor.

Liam doesn’t take long, walking into his room only a few moments later. The bed dips from his weight after he has shucked off his jacket and jeans, his hands colder than they normally are from being outside as he slides them up Zayn’s arms to intertwine their fingers.

He wraps himself around Zayn’s back, dragging his lips across his neck and rubbing his thumb against his knuckles. Zayn likes that he doesn’t ask what is wrong, because he isn’t quite sure he knows how to explain it. He is just emotional really, and it makes it hard to sort through his thoughts.

+*

“What if someone walks in?”

Liam mutters something he can’t make out, words muffled as he bites at the column of his neck. Zayn’s back is pressed against cold metal, contrasting with the warm of Liam’s palms, skirting up his torso underneath his kit.

Liam pushes his legs apart, pressing him into the car as he moves his lips back to Zayn’s, kissing him with purpose, all of his intents noticeable in the way he curls his tongue behind Zayn’s teeth, the way his hips rock against his.

They are in the garage. Granted, it is after it closes, and only Liam has the keys as Paddy is gone for the week, but still -

It is exhilarating though, arousing him probably more than it should. Zayn had wanted to surprise Liam while he did paperwork, finding him hunched over the front of the car and he barely had enough time to wash his hands before Zayn’s lips were on his.

There is just something hot about him being a mechanic, okay?

“S’locked,” Liam murmurs, reaching behind him to tug on the collar of his shirt to pull it off. Zayn doesn’t hesitate to slide his palms up the warmth of his back, or to graze his nails against Liam’s shoulders because he knows it makes him tremble. It is cold in the garage, almost as cold as the late October air outside, but Liam’s skin burns against his. “But we could go in the office you want, save me dreams of sucking you off on the roof of a car for later -”

“Oh,” Zayn groans, his worries slipping from him easily because Liam is obscene and he is kind of in love with it.

Liam cups him through his jeans, a cheeky smile on his lips before he presses it to Zayn’s. His palm rubs against him, a groan rumbling in his throat like he gets off on how hard he has made him.

“Trust me?” Liam murmurs, fingers tracing against the button of his jeans. “Promise I’ll make it good for you.”

A whine gets stuck in his throat as he nods. He slides his thumbs against Liam’s cheekbones, trying to mimic the same way Liam always touches him, with feelings stuffed in the ridges of his fingerprints.

“I trust you,” Zayn murmurs, dragging his thumb down Liam’s nose and tracing it across his upper lip.

The words are barely out of his mouth before Liam is tugging on the button of his jeans, lifting Zayn’s hips away from the car so he can slip down his thighs. It is even colder, though only part of his body is exposed to the cool air. It makes him shiver and Liam rubs his hands over Zayn’s thighs like he knows before he falls to his knees.

Liam’s mouth is obscene, Zayn has always thought so. The ruddy color of his lips, and the way they swell so easily after they kiss. How soft they are, but how strong they are against his own, Liam always taking over when they kiss and it makes his belly flip flop.

How slick they are now, with spit and precome, stretched around the thick of his length. His cheekbones stand out when he hollows his cheeks, his eyelashes thick and soft looking as they flutter across the top of them.

Groans vibrate in his throat, making Zayn's toes curl against the cement floor. Liam keeps his eyes up at him, even when they water as he takes Zayn deep. He is good at this, at everything he does really, but Zayn is kind of in love with the way he plays with the slit, dragging his tongue across it and sucking at the head. The way his eyes flutter closed when Zayn rubs his cheeks and how filthy the noises he makes when Zayn's cock slips past his tongue are.

"Oh babe," Zayn groans softly, legs trembling as Liam presses him harder against the side of the car. "Oh I l -"

Zayn knocks his head back painfully against the car as Liam pops off with a slick sound, lips pressing closed. His body is covering Zayn's in a moment, his hand cupping his cheek and dragging Zayn's attention back to him.

"What, babe?" Liam asks, his other hand wrapping around Zayn's length. He feels so wet, the sound of Liam stroking him off slick and obscene, echoing in the empty garage.

Zayn reaches for Liam's belt with shaky fingers, distracting him with his teeth against his bottom lip. Or distracting himself, because something has taken over his chest and he is afraid it will break out across his tongue with words he doesn't want to say yet.

He tugs on Liam's bottom lip, dragging his jeans down without the finesse he hopes he usually has. Liam sighs when Zayn's fingers wrap around him, his hips pulling back to help but Zayn hates it because he wants Liam to consume him, plaster him to the car until all he feels is him.

Liam curls an arm around Zayn's head, plastering their chests together as he knocks Zayn hands away. His legs spread Zayn's more, a whimper sounding in his throat before he stretches those thick fingers around the both of them.

"Liam," Zayn moans roughly, basking in the feel of Liam's thick prick against his own, how rough Liam's fingers are. He mouths at Liam's lips, losing control of himself at arousal twists down his spine, legs jerking as he nears his release.

"Come on baby," Liam grunts out roughly. "Mine, yeah?"

Liam nudges his head to mouth at the curve of his neck, tongue rolling over faded marks and teeth shaping out new ones. It is all Zayn needs before he comes, milking out across his belly and Liam's, a chant of _mine, mine_ playing over in his head.

"Yeah," Zayn gasps out, jerking into Liam's fist as he curls his arms around his shoulder. It is true, and he isn't sure when it became that way but he doesn't want it to change. “Yours.”

Liam groans low in his throat as he rests his forehead against Zayn’s, fist blurring over their cocks. Zayn bites his lip, doing little to muffle the high pitched whimpers from the sensitivity, because he just wants to see Liam come. The way his face twists in pleasure, thick brows pushing together and those ruddy colored lips parting as he huffs out.

“Beautiful,” Zayn musters, mouthing at Liam’s parted lips as the man in front of him stiffens, cock pulsing against Zayn’s before he comes. He arches closer to Zayn, a tremble running down his back as he crashes their lips together. It is all teeth and too hard, but Zayn is kind of in love with it.

Liam huffs out a breathless laugh when he pulls his hand away, his cheeks a sweet apple red. The sweat makes his hair curl in front of his forehead, dampening the white shirt he wears and making it cling to his chest. Those words he doesn’t want to say get harder to hold back as he eyes him, making his chest swell and drag up into his throat. He has given up on not thinking them, because the only way that would stop is if he were to erase all memory of Liam from his brain.

Zayn wraps his hand around Liam’s wrist before he can reach for the bandana in his back pocket, bringing Liam’s hand to his lips. The brightness that had captured Liam’s eyes after he came disappears quickly, darkening again as he intents them on the way Zayn wraps his lips around his come slicked finger.

“You,” Liam whispers quietly, voice rough with arousal. Zayn drags his tongue down the callouses under his fingers, his tastebuds filling with the bitter taste of the two of them. “Are fucking obscene.”

Zayn grins cockily, wrapping his lips around Liam’s thumb and sucking softly. Liam groans quietly before tugging his hand away.

He slides it under Zayn’s shirt as he pushes his lips against Zayn’s, parting them as his tongue pushes past to drag against his own. He moans again, a throaty sound that threatens to prep Zayn for round two.

“You like me,” Zayn murmurs, tilting his head to change the angle. He sucks Liam’s tongue into his mouth, fingers tangling in his damp shirt to pull him closer even if it is impossible. He wants to feel molded against Liam, to hide the shyness against Liam’s chest when he thinks about how he hopes for Liam feeling a lot more than just like.

“You’re alright,” Liam jokes, pulling away from him but he grabs at Zayn’s shirt to tug him away from the car and follow him. “Come distract me from my paperwork in the office, now.”

Zayn huffs out a laugh, curling his arms around Liam to walk him back towards Paddy’s office door. “You like me that much? Ready for round two already?”

Liam’s face falls into something serious as he turns them. “I should have recorded you or summat just now, so you can see what you do to me.”

Zayn softens though he doesn’t mean to, pressing his fond smile against Liam’s lips.

+*

“I want you to be my boyfriend.”

Liam sighs, staring at his red face in the mirror. He undoes the top few buttons of his shirt, revealing more of his chest as he shakes his head. “No, no.”

He swallows thickly, feeling silly for talking to himself in the mirror, for worrying about what he is going to wear and if he sounds like a total knob, when he is certain Zayn likes him enough not to care. “I was wondering what you think about being boyfriends,” he tries again.

No. “I think I love you.”

_No._

“What are you doing?”

Liam jerks, flying around to find Niall standing in the bathroom doorway, an amused smile on his lips. He crosses his arms, leaning against the door frame as he nudges his head towards Liam.

“Nothing,” Liam snaps defensively, feeling his face burn even more. “Go away.”

Niall barks out a laugh and Liam only frowns in response. It isn’t funny, he is having a slight crisis here.

“Shut up,” Liam mumbles, turning away from him to look at himself in the mirror again. He readjusts the collar of his shirt, flattening it out more even though it is already perfect. He has another date set up for them, at a restaurant a few blocks away and he wants it to be special, but he knows he is going to mess it up with jumbled words, and probably say too much like I love you, and he doesn’t want that to scare Zayn away.

And it doesn’t help he that feels guilty, unable to tell Zayn that he knows what he does when he is alone in his room. That he used to watch him religiously, and he doesn’t want to start their relationship (if Zayn wants to start one) with that big of a lie hanging between them. He isn’t sure if he cares that Zayn hasn’t told him yet either, but that could be because he already knows.

“You’re putting too much pressure on y’self, Li. Just be yourself, like you said to me. Tell him you want to get married.”

Niall laughs again, even harder when Liam frowns at him through the mirror.

“I’m serious,” Niall goes on, stepping into the bathroom. He claps Liam hard on the shoulders, shaking as he chuckles again. “The lad is gone for you, just tell him how you feel.”

Liam grumbles incoherently. Zayn has a big heart, he has seen it time and time again, and he knows Zayn likes him - a lot, but he knows Zayn is more hesitant to talk about his feelings out loud, even if he shows them in the way he touches Liam.

“How did you ask Harry out?”

“Didn’t,” Niall says, leaning against the sink counter. “Haz told me I was his boyfriend and I rolled with it.”

Liam laughs this time, because he should have figured. “I don’t think that will work for me, though.”

“It won’t,” Niall chuckles. “Haz and I were fun, chill. You and Zayn have been married since you met.”

Liam sighs, playing with the watch wrapped around his wrist nervously. “Well like, there is um, something I didn’t tell him, and haven’t told him. And I feel like I should before um, like before I ask him to be my boyfriend.”

Niall’s face falls into something serious, but he doesn’t ask Liam to explain and Liam knew he wouldn’t. “It’s probably not as big as you think it is, mate. You know you tend to worry, yeah? Just let the lad know whatever it is, I reckon he won’t be too bent over it.”

Liam only shrugs, nibbling at his bottom lip because he doesn’t agree. It feels like a big deal, because he knows he wouldn’t react well. And his mother always used to tell him, put yourself in the other person’s position -

And he still gets the urge to watch Zayn, though he gets him to himself when he isn’t on camera. And worries, worries that he is on camera for all of those people when they are not together, even though he knows it isn’t right of him to feel so jealous about it.

“It might be too soon,” Liam sighs, dragging a hand down his face.

Niall gives him a considerate look. “Maybe. But don’t be an arse like me and wait too long.”

Liam groans, clenching his eyes shut. “I just don’t know.”

“Trust me, Liam. I’m good at this stuff.”

“No you’re not,” Liam grumbles, lips quirking up at Niall’s offended face.

It fades after a moment as he shrugs. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

 

Liam rubs his palms against his thighs under the table, swallowing thickly as he watches Zayn. There is no denying the way he feels for him, the feeling that takes over his chest when he so much as looks at him. He isn’t doing anything specific that makes him feel it, just being there, cutting up the food in front of him.

“What?” Zayn murmurs, lips quirking up but he doesn’t look at Liam. “You keep staring at me.”

Liam chuckles softly, reaching over the table to take Zayn’s fingers into his hand. Sweat drips down his neck and nerves make his tongue feel heavy in his mouth, hard to form the words he had been practicing in the mirror all day. “Just - you’re beautiful babe. Hard not to look at you. Nothing else around here worth lookin’ at. ”

He glances at the crowd around them as if to prove his disinterest. Liam had wanted to take Zayn somewhere super fancy, that looked like money and probably cost a lot of money, where they had to dress up and order things they don’t know how to pronounce. But he had chosen this place instead, something laid back with regular people food because it seemed more fitting for them.

Red creeps up Zayn’s cheeks as he smiles shyly, glancing at him quickly as he squeezes Liam’s fingers. “You’re so bright sometimes I have to look away.”

His nose wrinkles as he laughs at himself, like he doesn’t want to acknowledge the way he means his words. It warms through Liam, and he can’t help the way he blurts out his words.

“I’m yours,” Liam goes on, tilting his head to watch Zayn’s smile falter. Not in a bad way, but like he knows how serious Liam’s words are and he doesn’t want to appear like he is laughing at them. “I want to be yours.”

“That’s up to you,” Zayn tells him, setting down his knife and fork. He smiles softly, dragging idle shapes across Liam’s hand.

Liam shakes his head. “No, it isn’t. My heart really hasn’t given me a choice in the matter.”

Zayn sucks in a breath, looking up at him with an overwhelmed look in his face and for a moment Liam panics, wondering if he has said too much - gone too far even though he hasn’t even started expressing his feelings for the man across from him.

He does this all the time, but he doesn’t mean to. His heart seems to have more control of him than his brain does.

“What do you mean, your heart -”

“Sorry,” Liam says quickly, grimacing some. “I told you I have a tendency to muck things up. Just wanted to make this um - I don’t know how to do this actually.”

Zayn’s lips quirk up, easing Liam some. “Do what, babe?”

Liam hesitates, chuckling nervously. “I um, I am asking you to be my boyfriend. I’m shit at this, I guess. Dunno how to do -”

“Liam,” Zayn interrupts with a sigh and Liam’s heart drops, even though Zayn squeezes his fingers and gives him a nose wrinkle smile like he is trying to reassure him. “I’m yours, too.”

Liam exhales out in relief, but the fast pace of his heart doesn’t slow any, only picks up a greater speed. Trying to run out of his chest, he thinks, and crawl back to Zayn. “So yeah?”

Zayn snickers, nose wrinkling again as his tongue pokes out from behind his teeth. “Yeah, _baby_.”

"So just so we are clear on this-"

Zayn groans, eyes clenching shut but his lips still stay pushed high into his cheeks as he pulls Liam's hand to his lips. "I am your boyfriend, Leeyum, yes."

A happiness expands across his chest, making it difficult to calm the smile that takes over his lips and ease the way his heart races. He knows he probably looks ridiculous, his damn cheeks probably bright red and eyes squinty as he bites around his smile but he can’t help it.

“Does that mean we can make out now?”

Zayn giggles quietly, letting his hand go as he picks up his fork. “Babe, I haven’t eaten yet.”

Liam pretends to be upset by this, but his smile refuses to leave his cheeks be. “Then get on with it, gotta kiss you.”

Zayn hooks his ankle with Liam’s under the table, a fond smile making his lips quirk up as he takes a bite off of his fork. “My dad wants to meet you.”

Liam stiffens, that smile slipping away quickly away as he panics. “Excuse me?”

Zayn huffs out a laugh, nose wrinkling and Liam frowns, because he knows Zayn is trying to distract him by how adorable he is.

“Me dad said he wanted to meet my boyfriend and I told him I didn’t have one,” Zayn goes on, grinning. “Reckon now that you’re my boyfriend -”

“I take it back,” Liam interrupts, shaking his head. He pretends to get out of the booth until Zayn frowns at him.

“Fine, but only if Safaa is there.”

It is Zayn who gets out of the booth this time, but he slides onto Liam’s seat, curling an arm around his shoulders and tugging him close.

“Deal,” he murmurs quietly, a look in his eyes that Liam can’t read before he stitches their lips together.

+*

Zayn likes when the bookstore is quiet, when he can hear the soft music overhead and he can stock the shelves without being distracted. By customers at least, but the new employee seems to be almost as bad as them.

"Tell me where these go again?"

Zayn sighs, trying his hardest not to be rude but he new employee - Jamie or something, is driving him nuts. Zayn has told them twice already today where the mystery section is. The bookshop isn't that large, and there is a sign hanging above each one.

Zayn is tired, so his patience is more limited than normal and it isn't Jamie’s fault, so he gives them a weak smile as he points towards the sign across from them.

"Okay, thanks. And by the way, some guy is at the front asking for you," they says, nudging their head towards the front of the store. "Fit, you know, muscley kind."

Zayn glowers at them before he slides the book he is holding onto the shelf. Jamie only shrugs before Zayn turns away, jealousy making his stomach sour.

His heart leaps into his throat, before he eyes Liam. A reaction to him he hasn't gotten used to yet, but reckons he never wants to.

It is worse when he sees Liam, a soft smile on his lips, eyes crinkling at the corners and cheeks bunched up. He holds two cups of coffee up, wiggling his brows as Zayn comes over.

"Life saver," Zayn practically moans, taking the cup Liam holds out towards him. He had missed his alarm, waking up to a sweaty Liam just back from his run coaxing him awake, and hadn't had time to stop before going to work.

"An apology," Liam chuckles. He ducks forward, placing a kiss against Zayn's nose. "For keeping you up so late last night."

Zayn grins as he sips at his coffee. He definitely doesn't mind, doesn't mind Liam keeping him up with a hand gripping his throat and lips in his ear, moaning out compliments like he gets off on them as much as Zayn does.

(And he is sore, but he definitely doesn't mind, it lets him think about the way Liam had dicked into him roughly, contrasting with the gentle way he had slotted their lips together.)

"And," Liam sighs, dragging a thumb against the finger shaped bruise at the column of his neck. "For that too."

"Don't have to apologize," Zayn says shyly as he cups Liam's cheek. He drops his voice into a whisper, just in case his coworker is near. "Just fuck me gentle tonight."

Liam presses his groan to Zayn's lips and when he pulls away after a moment, he has a wounded look on his face.

"I'm going to see me mum after work. But I'll be only gone the night," he promises, even though he doesn't have to.

"Gonna tell her about me?" Zayn asks before he can think about it. He flushes, eyes going wide but Liam only laughs.

"Babe, I did that weeks ago."

It doesn't help the flush in his cheeks, but makes it worse and he tries to hide it behind his cup but Liam curls fingers around his wrist to pull his hand down, laughing at him harder. Zayn wants to kiss him to be quiet, to ease the flutter in his heart but he isn’t sure it is appropriate at work. (Even if there aren’t any customers, it would be his luck that his boss would walk in at the exact moment their lips touched.)

“She will hate me,” Zayn murmurs, pouting at him when Liam cups a hand at the back of his head to pull him close. He flicks Liam in the neck gently, tapping a mouth shaped bruise over his birthmark.

Liam grimaces. “I’ll tell her um, like I hit a mailbox.”

“With your neck?” Zayn huffs out, clenching his eyes shut as his body curves away from Liam with the force of his laughter. It disturbs the quiet of the bookshop, but for once Zayn doesn’t mind it.

Liam shrugs. “I’ll think of something babe, real convincing. Don’t worry.”

Zayn rolls his eyes, giving in to kissing Liam because he can’t help it. He pecks his lips quickly, over and over again. “That doesn’t sound convincing, love.”

Liam’s shoulder tucks towards his chin as he giggles, fingers tickling against Zayn’s belly. “Trust me.”

Liam lingers in the bookshop for a bit longer, jumping from topic to topic like he doesn’t want to leave, because they won’t see each other tonight. It feels silly, laughable that Zayn feels like he can’t deal with less than twenty four hours without Liam, but he ignores it.

He ignores it until he drags himself through the quiet house later that night, the television still on and glowing in the living room, dirty plates of food on the table that he doesn’t have the energy to put into the sink. He expects a sleepy smile taking over his vision as he shuffles into the living room, but there isn’t one -

Zayn tiptoes into Liam’s room, cautious like he is afraid he is going to get caught - even though he knows Liam wouldn’t mind. He doesn’t bother turning on the light, only kicks off his shoes and slips out of his jeans, fingers tucking into the sleeves of Liam’s hoodie before he flops into his bed.

The sheets are unmade, the bed rumpled at the end and he frowns, knowing Liam makes the bed as soon as he rolls out of it (or, drags Zayn out of it). He tugs the comforter over him, sliding his palm over the pillow Liam always sleeps on when they sleep together to tuck it closer to his chest.

His fingers scrape over paper and he frowns again, rolling over the flick on the lamp that sits beside Liam’s bed.

It is a piece of paper ripped from one of Liam’s composition notebooks, folded in half with the word boyfriend scribbled in Liam’s messy hand writing at the top. He is still overwhelmed that they have finally defined what they are, that Liam mentioned his heart because Liam has his.

The chant of I love you is now constant in his head whenever they are together, whenever he even thinks about him. It feels too soon, but undeniable really. Because everything Liam does makes Zayn’s chest feel like it is going to break out of it, even little things like like the way his brows furrow when he concentrates or the way he fidgets impatiently when he has given up on working but Zayn hasn’t. The way his lips look as he speaks and how expressive he is. How he laughs at himself like he is funny but he really is just a dork and Zayn is in love with it.

Zayn grins foolishly as he opens it, settling back into the pillows as he reads it, chest pounding at the thought of Liam knowing he was going to crawl into his bed that night.

_sleep well i miss u x_

_+*_

The sun breaks through the curtains, skating a glow across Zayn’s cheeks. He looks soft, silver hair fluffy without product and sticking out around his head, lips parted and face relaxed as he rests back against the pillows. His fingers lay against his chest, which Liam knows is because sometimes he scratches at his chest when he sleeps, and it is weird that he finds it adorable.

The note he left before he headed out for his parents’ house is lower on the mattress, a few centimeters away from the fingers of Zayn’s other hand like he had fallen asleep holding it. The comforter has wrapped around his hips, his toes peeking at the bottom.

Liam is in love with him, he knows it. He falls easily - he is aware, but there is something undeniable about the feeling in his chest. He doesn’t know how to say it outloud, if he should or if he should keep it to himself. It isn’t important, having Zayn know or not, because he knows he can show it in his touch.

He isn’t sure when he realized it, or if he always knew - something about love at first sight, he had told his mum the night before. But years ago, before they even met. When he had seen a younger Zayn’s face in his little video icon, he hadn’t hesitated on clicking it. Like the world telling him, you will fall in love with this lad one day -

Liam pads over to the edge of the bed quietly before sitting down beside Zayn. He smoothes a palm over his cheek, feeling how his skin is cool rather than warm, probably due to the blanket hanging off of him and the way his window is cracked. The bridge of Zayn’s nose wrinkles as he tries to warm his skin with his own.

“In love with you,” Liam mumbles quietly, watching the wrinkle between Zayn’s eyebrows deepen. He is hard to wake up sometimes, and Liam is in love with that too.

The way he grumbles and pouts but will let Liam help him untangle from the sheets, how he will put up a fight and drag Liam into the sheets with him, showing a strength that Liam is overwhelmed exists in those thinner arms of his.

How sleepy he gets after a shag late at night, crawling against Liam’s chest or tucking Liam into his. The way he pouts when Liam pads towards the garbage to chuck away the condom, or to get a cloth to clean them off. The way he giggles tiredly when Liam peppers his cheeks and left over bruises.

He loves listening to him speak, the way his words get choked when he laughs through telling a story about his dad, or the way his face flushes and gets frustrated looking when he complains about something with work or school. The way his words are always coated with fondness when he speaks about his sisters and the drop of his tone, the thick of his accent when he is aroused.

Liam is in love with the way Zayn washes his body before shampooing his hair, the way he had flushed in embarrassment when Liam had teased him about it in the shower. He is in love with the look of concentration on his face every time he takes a picture, and the way he constantly turns the camera onto him.

“Morning,” Liam murmurs, placing a kiss on the tip of Zayn’s nose even though he is pretty sure he is still asleep. He wonders if Zayn is in love with him too, if he is in love with at least anything about him. Zayn touches him like he is, touches him in a way no one ever has. Those idle touches just to touch that Liam is also in love with.

“Zayn,” Liam hums, scratching his fingers through the hair that is starting to thicken at his jaw. He is excited to see it, a coarser, fuller beard on his sharp jaw, to feel it on the inside of his thighs before Zayn soothes the burn with his tongue.

“Go away,” Zayn mumbles. He swallows thickly, face scrunching together. Liam chuckles softly, placing a brush of a kiss on his pursed lips.

Zayn keeps his eyes closed but his lips part, a ghost of a grin tugging the corners up and Liam presses his lips against his a bit harder, slotting them together. It is always overwhelming how perfect they fit together, their lips, their chests - their fingers.

A bit ridiculous of a thought but Liam is in love with it.

Zayn’s tongue slips across his lower lip as he kisses him languidly. His tongue is soft against his own, lazily licking into his mouth in a way that sends a warmth down Liam’s spine.

Liam hums contentedly when Zayn curls a hand around the back of his neck, fingers soothing against his skin. He wants to say the words, to tell Zayn he is in love with him but he only kisses him harder, deepening the kiss and hoping Zayn can feel it.

+*

Zayn feels ridiculous.

He lies on the bed, nearly naked except for his briefs, the vibrator in his hand making his palm feel numb as he has yet to turn it off. His prick lays limp on his belly, arousal nowhere in sight.

David Banner’s _Play_ plays in the background, and that song usually works him up but right now it just makes his stomach twist. He has been trying to get hard for like an hour now, since he hasn’t done a show in awhile and he has the apartment to himself because he is supposed to be doing his homework, which he has procrastinated, but he had wanted to try to do a show. Make a little extra money that isn’t in his savings so he can buy Liam something.

He tried thinking about Liam’s hands on his hips or his tongue tracing his skin, but all this thoughts of Liam in bed with him warped to Liam finding out about his shows, his face going from a flushed red from arousal to an angry red, brows not pushing together in concentration but betrayal -

He clicks off the vibrator before dragging himself from the sheets. There feels like there is something heavy pressing down against his shoulders as he shuffles to his dresser to find the plaid shirt. Guilt maybe, for keeping it from Liam. Worry also, that Liam will be angry with him that he is bare and intimate with a hundred or so viewers that aren’t him. Frustration that he can’t get hard, even to the thought of Liam -

Zayn shuffles out of his room, catching his textbook from his desk and his glasses that sit on top of it before he does so before he shuffles into Liam’s. He likes it more in here, he thinks, unless Liam is in his own. He thinks he would like anywhere as long Liam is right next to him.

He tries to read and drown out his thoughts, but it doesn’t work too well. Not with the way his phone vibrates constantly on his nightstand with group text messages from his roommates. They are all together, and he doesn’t understand why they feel the need to text each other.

_NH; z come get ur boy he keeps talkn bout u_

_HS: its cute_

_LP: am not_

_NH: hearin bout zayns massive cock is not cute H_

Zayn chuckles, reading the messages as they pop up. He wonders if Liam is flushing in embarrassment, or if he doesn’t care because he has been drinking. Zayn doesn’t care, thinks it’s cute -

Everything he does is cute and Zayn is kind of head over heels for him. He still can't believe Liam is his boyfriend, even if it has been a few weeks already.

_ZM; bring my boyfriend home so i can give it 2 him_

_LP: omw right now immediately_

_LT: EW_

Zayn barks out a laugh, his cheeks hurting as he smiles at the screen. They won’t be home for another two hours at least, and he types out a message about being careful and not drinking too much before finally turning off the vibration.

He ends up doodling in his textbook more so than reading the words on the page, distractedly tracing out LP and giggling at himself when he writes + ZM underneath it. He erases it before turning the page, feeling ridiculous again but this time in a good way.

His eyes start to heavy when his roommate’s voices loud and floating through the apartment. Niall’s laughters and Harry choking out a joke that Louis groans at. He doesn’t hear Liam at first, and he considers going out there to make sure he is okay before he finally does.

“Gotta see my Zayn.”

Zayn slides down the pillows some, biting at his bottom lip. _My Zayn_ -

Liam shuffles into the room, eyes half closed and stumbling out of his boots before he lands on the bed. “My Zayn,” Liam repeats, sighing as he shoots the boot across the room.

Zayn giggles fondly as Liam slumps down beside him, immediately turning to him to finger at his shirt before slipping his palm, cold from the November air, underneath the brim.

"In love with your laugh, Zaynie," Liam murmurs, eyes practically closed, smiling drunkenly. "Favorite sound - in the world."

Zayn grins foolishly, tucking closer to Liam. In love, he tries not to think about it too much, or how he feels the same way about Liam’s. "Yeah? What else do you like 'bout me?"

“My shirt,” Liam slurs, tugging on the lapel of the plaid shirt Zayn wears and Zayn isn't sure he heard him. “Like you in my clothes, makes you look like mine. My Zayn.”

Warmth creeps up Zayn’s cheeks, coming from his chest as he chuckles softly. “I am yours, babe. Remember? Boyfriends. My Liam.”

Liam doesn’t seem to hear him again as he fiddles with the material and nudges closer to Zayn. “Y’look good in red, love you in red.”

Zayn’s heart thumps heavily in his chest, knowing Liam is just bantering but _love you_ stands out like a sore thumb. It rings loud in his head, like an alarm going off during a fire, yelling at him to get out before he gets hurt. Just banter, he tells himself -

Liam lets go of his shirt to rub his knuckles against his cheek, eyes heavy from the alcohol and a drunk smile on his face. “Your red cheeks are my favorite. Like ‘em more than those panties.”

Zayn stiffens, face crumpling as he stares at Liam to explain. But Liam only closes his eyes, a smile on his face as he rests beside him on the pillows.

“Panties, Liam?”

Liam nods tiredly, face scrunching and Zayn panics because he needs him to explain but he knows Liam is seconds from falling asleep. The alarm going off in his head now is more uncomfortable, ringing in his ears and hurting his brain as he tries to make sense of it.

“Want you to wear them for me sometime,” Liam mutters so quietly it is hard for Zayn to hear. “Please.”

“How do you know about them?” Zayn urges, gripping onto Liam’s shirt that is still matted in sweat and tugging a little to jostle him awake but it does no good.

Liam stays quiet for a long time, brows pushing together and relaxing like they do when he is being dragged under from sleep. His hand relaxes on Zayn’s chest, lips pouting out as he falls asleep.

Zayn rests back against the headboard, eyeing Liam as a pain rips through his chest, caused by the confusion and the thoughts in his head he refuses to believe.

+*

Liam is still asleep, rested back on the pillows and mouth wide open. He looks perfect really, and Zayn hates the tight instead of warm feeling in his chest because of it. That is why he doesn’t like _feeling_ for somebody, because he hates when the feelings turn sour.

He traces the edges of Liam’s face with a gentle finger, dragging over his scruff and smoothing across his cheeks. Liam’s nose wrinkles when he slides his fingers across his bottom lip before tracing up the bridge of his nose. He doesn’t know why he has the urge to touch him so much, but it comforts the heavy feeling in his chest a bit.

“Baby, wake up,” Zayn murmurs quietly. He rests his palm against Liam’s cheek, turning his head towards him slightly but Liam doesn’t wake, only scrunches his face and slaps his lips closed.

He has been restless all night, trying to make sense of what Liam had said about the panties. He has been in his room plenty, could have stumbled upon them at one point. But he feels as if Liam would have mentioned them, teased him about it or whispered for him to put them on when they rolled across the sheets.

And it doesn’t help that _in love with your laugh_ rings in his head, in sync with the words Wolfie had typed out to him the last time he had watched one of Zayn’s shows. And the nickname, Wolfie -

“Liam,” Zayn says, this time a bit louder. Liam has to be up soon anyway, for his shift at the garage, and Zayn isn’t sure he can go the whole day without talking about it. He has wondered before what he would do if someone found out, someone close to him, but he never actually came up with a plan because the mere thought of it made him panicky.

“Hm,” Liam hums. He curls onto his side towards him, reaching out to cup his hip while still half asleep. He has been snoring all night, loudly due to the alcohol and it had drove Zayn crazy, making it hard to focus on his thoughts enough to make sense of them.

“Wake up,” Zayn whispers, scratching his fingers through Liam’s hair. “Wanna talk to you.”

Liam stays quiet for a moment before one of his eyes peek open, eyebrows scrunching together. He pouts a few times, wrinkling his nose like he is trying to get rid of the sleep that tries to tug him under again.

“Does this talking involve kissing,” he mumbles, lips quirking up tiredly. It is frustratingly adorable, and Zayn hates the way his heart feels like it is being pinched because of it. But he ducks his head forward anyway, grazing his lips over Liam’s before pulling away.

“Okay, now wake up.”

Liam  yawns, letting go of him to stretch across the sheets. Taking forever, really, before he finally pulls his eyes open and curls back around Zayn, a sleepy smile on his face that Zayn can’t return.

“What is it, baby?”

Zayn sighs, sinking down the mattress to be face level with Liam. He isn’t sure how to say it, even though his mind has been wracking with ways to bring it into conversation. “Um, you mentioned that - you mentioned that um?”

Liam’s brows furrow as concern takes over his face, that smile fading away. He smoothes his hand to Zayn’s back, rubbing at the tension there. “What did I say?”

Zayn nibbles at his bottom lip, shrugging. A habit he does whenever he gets too nervous to talk. “Why does Niall call you Wolfie?”

Liam frowns even more but Zayn swears there is a panic in his eyes. He can’t be sure, if he is just looking for it and that is why he sees it, or if it is genuine. “'Cause I'm from Wolver-Hampton. What is this about?”

Zayn nods, gulping thickly because the tears are starting to choke him. He hates crying, despises it but he is exhausted and starting to panic and his ability to control them has seemed to disappear. “You were born in 1993? 93?”

There is no mistaking the way Liam’s face falls this time, the way realization crosses it. He pulls his hand on Zayn’s back away, heavying his arm on his side instead like he doesn’t want him to go too far but he is nervous to touch him. It makes something painful twist in his belly. “What did I say babe?”

Zayn looks at him for a long moment before he speaks, taking in the way his brows furrow and he gulps thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the force of it. Foolishly, he wonders if Liam is an easy crier, if he would cry, because he doesn’t want him to but the air around them has tensed and he always knows he has a hard time not crying when he has to confront someone.

“My panties,” Zayn murmurs, voice tight with the tears he doesn’t want Liam to see. He hates that they come so easily, because it shows how important Liam is to him -

“You said you like my red panties but no one knows about them.”

Liam drags a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. He looks pained when he pulls it away, but also confused and Zayn feels the same.

“Babe - baby, I can explain.”

Zayn pulls away from him then, tugging away from his grip and rolling across the mattress, thankful that Liam doesn't try to stop him. He shakes his head, trying to rid the flood of thoughts that rush through his brain because he shouldn’t have said anything. He doesn’t want to do this, he needed Liam to be confused about what he was talking about, to deny it and just be excited about the damn panties.

“Please, go,” Zayn murmurs, shifting off of the bed and reaching for the pants that lay on the floor. The frustrated tears have more than just pricked at his eyelids, but slip down his cheeks and roll over his lips and he needs Liam to leave before he sees them. “Please - just go.”

Liam doesn’t move for a long time it feels like, but when he does, shifting off the bed and padding towards his door without a word, it makes Zayn feel worse.

+*

Three days.

It has been three days that Zayn has been avoiding him. He won’t answer his text messages, and hasn’t bothered to disable the notification that allows Liam to see that he has read them. He won’t answer his door when Liam knocks at it, even when Liam begs quietly for him to open it. He practically runs away when Liam and him cross paths in the apartment, and all of it is weighing heavy on his shoulders and he just wants to explain but _how_.

He knows Zayn has a reason to be upset. He hadn’t lied but he did, the next closest thing. Hid the truth. He just needs Zayn to understand that he wanted to tell him, but finding a way to tell him seemed impossible. It is too complicated.

“Zayn,” Liam says through the door, knocking quietly so his roommates don’t hear from the living room. He thinks they are catching on that there is something wrong, because Niall has sent him enough raised brows when Zayn has ran past him over the past few days that Liam is getting sick of him too. Which is unfair, but -

“Please open the door.”

Liam’s heart catches in his throat when he feels the doorknob rattle under his palm. It takes a moment before the door actually opens, and Liam realizes he hadn’t actually thought of anything to say before he knocked on the door, just a stream of frantic apologies ring in his head.

Zayn looks scruffy, hair flat across his forehead and beard thicker than normal. He wears a crop top again, a loose one with a jersey number on the front over red joggers. He looks tired, face pale and eyes heavy like he hasn’t been sleeping and neither has Liam. He hadn’t been lying when he told Zayn he sleeps better with him. His mind is constantly busy, thinking about everything good and bad. And the last few nights have been bad, making it harder to sleep than normal.

“Liam,” Zayn utters quietly, tilting his head some as a pained expression crosses his face. He nibbles at his bottom lip for a moment, before soothing his tongue over the marks his teeth leave behind. “Can you just? Can you just like, leave me be for a little bit?”

Liam watches as he sighs, dragging a hand down his face and that pained expression on his face only worsens when he pulls it away. “I don’t mean to ignore you, it’s just um - it takes me a while to like, sort out my thoughts? And it is kind of hard because like -”

Zayn looks frustrated before he eyes his toes, making a sound quietly in his throat that rips through Liam’s chest. “Zayn -”

Zayn looks back up at him, eyes watery and a red crossing over his cheeks that for once, Liam doesn’t like to see.

“I promise I will talk to you,” he starts. “But please just give me a few more days.”

+*

“Trust me, that is a good sign,” Harry assures Liam, swinging his legs against the counter where he sits on top of it. Niall leans against it beside him, arms crossed as he listens. They had dragged Liam into the kitchen, demanding to know what is going on between him and Zayn. “When he gets mad that is what he does, he shuts down for a bit. Doesn’t talk about it. Him telling you that he will talk to you again is a good sign.”

“Like you do,” Niall adds, lips quirking up. “When you get mad you storm around for a bit and come back ‘round.”

Liam sighs, knocking his head back against the wall. He understands, he does. But it is driving him mad as two more days have passed and Zayn is still ignoring him. His commercial is due soon, and he is completely lost on how to finish it - and that shouldn’t be important, but it just adds to his already stress.

“He’ll forgive you, whatever it is,” Harry says with an encouraging smile that Liam just stares at. “Unless he doesn’t and it is that bad and I have to fight you.”

Niall gives him an incredulous look over his shoulder, nose wrinkling as he stares at his boyfriend. “You? Fight the Payno? Alright, mate.”

Harry gives him an offended look before he wraps an arm around Niall’s shoulders, dragging him between his legs as he rubs his fist against his hairline like he is fighting him. “Fight this, arsehole.”

Liam smiles for a moment, wanting to thank them for making him feel a little better when Zayn shuffles into the kitchen. He glances sheepishly at them before making his way to the fridge, turning his back to Liam.

Harry drops his arms from Niall, grimacing at Liam as Zayn walks out without word.

“Okay, you may be a little screwed.”

Liam makes a wounded sound, clapping his hands to his face like it can ease the frustration that feels like it going to make him burst.

+*

Zayn sits on his windowsill, hiding behind the screen of the window as he tries to blow most of the smoke out of it. It is cold outside, and Liam is out there, pacing around the sidewalk in front of their building and Zayn can’t keep his eyes away.

It is tense with him inside, because he has respected Zayn asking him to leave him be, and everyone else is gone. Zayn has been pacing around his own room, trying to figure out a way to approach Liam and talk to him, trying to come up with a way to apologize because he has never been good at it. Harry has been on his ass about it, making Zayn think about how much he loves him because he refuses to tell Harry what is going on, but it has only made things harder to think about because Harry is right.

If it isn't love, it is the closest thing Zayn has ever felt to it.

Zayn brings the cigarette back to his lips as he watches Liam scratch fingers through his hair. Guilt makes his throat tighter than the smoke does and his fingers shake around the butt, afraid Liam may turn him away when he tries to apologize. He has this huge ordeal planned, that could either work or completely backfire on him.

He is an arse, is the thing. A huge arse. Wolfie hasn’t been online since Liam and him first met, really. Other than the one time the day after they did. And there might be something wrong with him, that it drags a twist of arousal through him thinking about how Liam had been watching him, unknowing that Zayn had been getting off thinking about him.

His breath catches in his throat, heart picking up speed when Liam finally notices him in the window. Zayn can't see his expression and he doesn't say anything, only brings the cigarette back to his lips before stubbing it out. Zayn can't look away from him, not until he disappears out of his view.

Zayn sighs, slumping back against the wall behind him, stubbing out his cigarette in the makeshift ashtray he has. His heart drops, an ache sliding around it that makes him feel like he could cry again.

He waits for the sound of the front door opening and closing before he pushes up from the windowsill, tip toeing towards his door to see if he can better hear Liam's footsteps.

A knock next to his ear makes him jump back, heart leaping into his throat as he reaches for the doorknob. He hates confrontation and admitting he is wrong, but he hates the broken look on Liam's face and not being able to wrap around him more.

"Zayn, open up," Liam says, his voice taking on a tone unfamiliar to him as Zayn takes too long to open the door.

For a moment Zayn wants to close the door once he finally manages to open it up, finding Liam with a tense jaw and reddened cheeks, a furrowed brow and lips pressed together. He takes a step forward and reaches out for Zayn, and despite the look on his face Zayn doesn't flinch away.

He knows in his gut Liam would never hurt him, not on purpose, and that is why he feels so shitty. And he has missed his touch, even if he can't feel the warmth of his skin through his clothes.

"I really want to give you your time," Liam says, voice thick with something Zayn doesn't want to put a name on. "I really do, but it is driving me mad, babe and I just need you to listen."

"Liam -"

"Please," Liam says, taking another step closer. "You have to know I stopped watching because it felt wrong, but telling you about it - babe, I wanted to but I didn't know how. I thought it would embarrass you or make you mad. I dunno, it - I’m just sorry babe, like. I really need you to understand -"

Zayn pushes forward, pressing his lips to Liam's to quiet him. He doesn't think about it, doesn't think if Liam will push him off he just needs him to stop.

Liam's brows furrow when Zayn pulls away but his other arm slides around Zayn's lower back, fingers spreading across his spine to stitch them together.

"I'm sorry," Zayn murmurs, smiling softly in hope that it will ease the tension in Liam's expression. "You're completely right, and I'm sorry it took me so many days to figure it out. I’m not good at this stuff, I’m not - I never really -”

Liam soothes his fingers against his back, face softening as his other hand comes to cup his cheek, waiting patiently for Zayn to continue.

Zayn huffs out, not having the same patience as Liam and frustrated with the way he can’t say the words that have been muddling around his brain for the past few weeks. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t have to be,” Liam murmurs, dragging his thumb across his cheek. “It’s a um, weird situation.”

Zayn huffs out a laugh, the tension seeping out of his body as Liam’s warmth takes over. He feels his face flame and he knows he shouldn't be embarrassed but he _is_.

Liam presses his laugh to Zayn's lips, pecking his lips quickly a few times. "Some weird sign that we were destined to be together, I guess. 'Cause um, I lied about seeing you around campus. It was only ever there."

Zayn wrinkles his nose, wrapping his arms around Liam's back because he needs him closer, uncaring that Liam lied about that because it is a weird situation. "You were always my favorite viewer."

Liam grins, shuffling him back into the room. He kicks the door closed, laughing under his breath. "Yeah?"

Zayn nods, scraping his teeth against his bottom lip nervously. "Yeah and want to know something else weird?"

Liam hums, tracing his fingers up his cheekbones and dragging against one of his eyebrows. It is so easy with Liam, he thinks, being himself and he really shouldn't have been worried about telling him.

Even if he already knew.

"Thought about you like, you _you_. Saw you round campus a lot, thought you were fit."

Liam's brows rise high towards his hairline. "Is that right?"

Zayn nods shyly. "Yeah, and I had a difficult time continuing them these past few weeks because um, only wanted you with me - to see me. I haven't done any since you asked me to be your boyfriend."

Liam's brows furrow before his lips are bruising against his own, fingers digging into his skin as he tilts Zayn's head to kiss him deeper, feet shuffling across the carpet as he pushes Zayn backwards.

"Are you serious," Liam says between kisses, making Zayn giggle from the breathless way his words come out.

"I um," Zayn gasps out as Liam's lips travel to his jaw, tilting his head further back. "Was thinking 'bout putting on a private show for you as an apology, since I'm like? Bad at words?"

Liam makes a wounded noise, pulling back with an overwhelmed look on his face. “I um, you don’t need to apologize like I said but, yeah, that could work.”

Zayn snorts, patting his bum as he pulls away from Liam. “Go get a chair, babe.”

Liam smacks a kiss to his lips before scurrying out, an excited look on his face that makes Zayn choke on a laugh, the fond growing in his chest.

He pads over to the iPod station on his desk, listening to the scrape of chair legs against the floor as he searches for a song. He had came up with the idea earlier in the day, but kept backing out of finding Liam to apologize because his plan could have either worked or have completely backfired on him.

Liam looks like a kid on Christmas as he follows where Zayn points to set the chair. It is ridiculously adorable and Zayn fingers Liam's shirt to tug him into a kiss before telling him to sit back in the chair.

"Don't laugh," Zayn murmurs as he hits play.

"I wouldn't."

Liam palms his thighs, a serious expression on his face that makes Zayn’s heart beat heavily in his chest as he watches him. He keeps his eyes on Liam too, even though it makes him feel shy - foolishly, after the amount of times Liam has seen him.

_Baby would you mind touching me, ever so slowly -_

Zayn tickles his fingers under his shirt slowly, dragging the material up his chest, teasing Liam with the expanse of his skin and the ink wrapped around his sides. He pulls on that confident smirk, nails dragging over his perked nipple even though Liam can't see. It makes him shiver and Liam fidgets, fingers digging into his sweatpants like he already needs to touch.

He steps closer to Liam, whose legs part instantly as Zayn grips the collar of his shirt to tug it off. Liam tilts his head up to look at Zayn, ignoring the reveal of his chest and abdomen as his tongue slips across his bottom lip.

_Would you mind undressing me -_

Liam exhales sharply when Zayn spreads his legs to crawl across his lap, hands on the back of the chair to hold himself above him. Liam doesn’t touch like he knows not to, but his eyes finally drop down Zayn’s torso.

‘ _Cause I’m gonna - bathe you, play with you, rub you, caress you -_

Zayn rolls his hips above Liam’s crotch, just a slow glide of his bum across Liam’s lap in sync with the beat of the song, Liam's eyes intent on where their hips almost meet.

“Touch you, tease you, lick you, please you,” Zayn sings along lowly, trying to mimic the soft of Janet's voice. Liam loses a bit of that control as he finally rests his palms against Zayn’s thighs, just holding him as he continues to roll his hips, Zayn's fingers raking through the hair at the back of Liam’s head. “Love you, hold you, make love to you.”

“Zayn,” Liam moans quietly, sliding his hands up his hips and thumbing at the band of his joggers. He looks up at Zayn, eyes thick with arousal and lips reddened from biting at them.

Zayn grins, knocking their foreheads together as he feels Liam push down the band of his joggers some. “And I’m gonna, kiss you, suck you, taste you, ride you.”

Liam presses down on his hips as he rolls them, fitting Zayn in his lap. Zayn groans shakily when he feels the thick of Liam against his own hard length and the pressure under Liam's fingertips. Liam moans softly, just a rumble in his throat that shoots sparks down his spine.

_Feel you, make you come too -_

Liam's fingers dip lower, scratching over the material underneath his joggers and he groans again, brows pushing together. Zayn can't help but grin, tickling it against Liam's cheeks, whispering the soft _feeling your lips on mine_ that fills the room.

"You asked me to wear them for you," Zayn murmurs in his ear, his voice cool despite the excitement that pours through him. He had put them on earlier, feeling foolish standing there in the small material while having a crisis about whether or not he should just barge into Liam's room in just them as a way to apologize.

"Fuck," Liam grits out, dragging his fingers over the soft material. "Baby let me see you."

Zayn pulls back but Liam grips onto his bum, keeping their hips pressed together. Zayn giggles, wiggling against him as he tries to break his hold.

"Gotta let me go, babe."

"Don't wanna," Liam pouts, fingers curling around the band of his joggers to tug them roughly down past his hips as Zayn pushes off of his lap.

Liam's eyes fall down, a groan rumbling in his throat. Zayn's prick stretches the red material, different than the one he wore for the show. It covers his front better, but he hopes Liam likes the lace back, the way he will be able to see his skin that he hopes ends up reddened and bruised when they are done.

Zayn slips off Liam's lap as his hands fall back to his thighs, losing his smoothness as he stumbles out of the joggers. He is eager to show Liam, hoping to hype him up to be rough again, to get out any lingering frustration he has from the last few days.

"Close your eyes," Zayn murmurs. Liam frowns at him but he does as asked, wiggling back against the chair.

Zayn takes a moment to take in Liam, the flush slowly creeping up his neck and the way his brows push together and relax, over and over. His fingers flex restlessly against his thighs, legs fidgeting closed like he is resisting the temptation to get a hand around where his joggers have tented.

Zayn edges back closer, wrapping his fingers around Liam's wrist. He guides his fingers to the red material hugging his hip, sliding them across to where the red is darkened and damp.

Liam groans, face scrunching shut but Zayn pulls his hand away, keeping a hold on him as he turns around.

"Stop teasing," Liam murmurs but it goes ignored as Zayn sits backwards on his lap, resting Liam's hand on his thigh as he parts them. Liam's fingers dig into his skin and Zayn wiggles back and arches forward, showing off the length of his back and the way his bum looks sat on Liam's crotch.

"Open your eyes," Zayn says, even though he doesn't know if Liam has kept them closed or not.

Liam makes a sound of approval, hands coming to Zayn's sides to rub down them. Zayn rolls his hips again, grinding off against Liam's thigh to ease some of the tension that builds in his lower belly.

Zayn moans when he feels Liam grip him, rounding his arse cheeks and spreading him. He can feel the thick of Liam's cock against him and he grinds back, electing a groan from his boyfriend.

Liam's thumbs slide under the fabric, rubbing against the skin and sending a shiver down Zayn's spine. "Oh _god_ , you look beautiful like this."

"Yeah?" Zayn utters, shifting back so he can get a hand around the back of Liam's neck as he grinds down. Liam shifts his legs some, whispering a moan against Zayn's cheek.

"Yeah, love it," Liam murmurs, hands sliding to Zayn's thighs to grip onto the inside of them.

Zayn bites at his bottom lip, muffling his moan as he rolls his hips back, Liam's prick hard against his bum.

"Love you," he whispers shakily, fingers digging into the back of Liam's neck. He wants Liam to know, tired of feeling like he has to keep it to himself.

Liam moans roughly, bruising the inside of his thighs as he digs his fingers in harder. He rolls his hips too, almost unnoticeable as he rubs off against him.

"I love you too," he utters quietly, turning his head to mouth at his jaw. "Especially now since that beard of yours is so thick."

Zayn huffs out a laugh, tight from the way his breath is stuck in his lungs. "Say it again."

Liam doesn't need to ask what as he utters I love you over and over against his ear, moaning it quietly after Zayn turns back around to hump down against him slowly.

Liam palms his bum, holding him down against him as their hips rock together. He mouths at the slope of Liam's neck, head tilted against the back of the chair, licking at the tendons there and mapping out his skin with his tongue.

He groans roughly when Liam's hand lands hard on his bum, squeezing him roughly as Liam moans out loudly. He likes how worked up Liam gets, face twisted in pleasure and legs jerking farther apart, allowing their cocks to press better together.

Zayn grips Liam's jaw roughly, hovering his moans over his lips as his other hand snakes to the hair at the back of his head.

"Wanna try something new?" Zayn breathes, nipping at Liam's swollen bottom lip. He pulls it into his mouth, sucking until he knows it will be purpled in the morning. "Y'could tie me up, spank me a bit."

Liam's brows push together as he grunts out a moan, hand coming down hard on his bum before he smoothes a palm over the hopefully reddened skin.

Zayn lets out a whimper as he does it again, cock pulsing out and soaking through his panties. He feels so close already, but he wants to spend the rest of the day in the sheets with Liam.

"Tongue me open," he says tightly. "Or make me eat you out, babe."

Liam knocks his head back, giving Zayn room to mark up his throat as he moans. The rock of their hips become desperate, as do the high pitched moans that bounce off of the walls, a mix of Zayn and Liam's.

"Oh," Liam huffs out, sounding as overwhelmed as Zayn feels. "Gonna nut off in them pretty panties, love?"

Zayn tries to catch his breath before he scrapes his teeth against Liam's ear, a shyness coming back to him before he moans out. "Yes, daddy."

Zayn tightens his grip when he comes, soaking through the red material and Liam's joggers. His orgasm rocks through him as he molds himself to Liam's torso, lips biting at the lobe of his ear.

Liam picks him up with ease, as Zayn still grinds off against him, moaning sharply in Liam's ear before his belly swoops and his back is hitting the mattress.

Liam looks ruined, cheeks reddened and eyes hungry with arousal. His grip is gentle though when he flips Zayn, but not so much when he plants his hand on the bottom of Zayn's spine, arching his bum and stitching him to the mattress.

Zayn cranes his neck to watch the way Liam shoves a hand down his joggers, his own hips still working down on the mattress though he feels sensitive. He groans when he sees the slick head, Liam's barely shoving his joggers down enough as his fist blurs over his cock.

Liam makes a sound that courses arousal through him as he comes, streaking out against Zayn's cloth covered bum. Liam's eyes close, mouth parted wide as he fucks into his fist.

He slumps on Zayn, covering his back with his chest as he humps down against his bum, milking out the rest of his orgasm and making a mess of him. Zayn tangles fingers through his hair, tilting his head back against Liam as he says it again too.

"I love you, I love you."

One Month Later

“I miss you.”

“I just left,” Liam laughs, hooking his phone onto the stand on his dashboard and hitting speaker before the light can change color. “I’m at the traffic light right in front of the house.”

He listens to Zayn groan dramatically, making him laugh more. The light goes green and he steps on the gas, his chest tightening because he misses Zayn already too. He misses home too, having only seen his mum the one time since he came to school, but it had taken him forever to get out of bed because Zayn had koala clung to his back.

(But to be honest, Liam really hadn’t tried to wiggle him off. Just pretended to, because every time he struggled, Zayn would try to convince him with messy kisses on his cheek and neck, telling him it was too cold outside or the roads bad from the snowfall a week ago.)

“Well,” Zayn says stubbornly, huffing his words out. “I still miss you. I will call you every day, okay?”

“Okay,” Liam breathes, warming because he knows Zayn means it. “Maybe I’ll come home early, after Christmas. Surprise you.”

“Ruined it, I reckon,” Zayn jokes fondly. “What am I going to do without you for a month?”

“I invited you to come,” Liam reminds him and Zayn groans. He knows he is too nervous to actually come to Liam’s house for the holidays, still nervous about meeting his parents though he has been with him while he has skyped his mum. She loves him, absolutely adores him already - especially once Niall confirmed he is a good one.

“I’m just going to watch that video we made,” Zayn says, voice dropping an octave. “Send you videos of me after I watch it.”

Liam groans, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Sex with Zayn is always good, but there was something exhilarating about watching Zayn on the screen of his camera, mouth wrapped around his prick. Exhilarating, because hundreds of viewers watched the way his eyes teared when he went deep, moaning shamelessly like he is addicted to the heavy feel of Liam's prick on his tongue. Zayn had barely pulled off, face red and come sticking to his cheeks before suggesting what they get up to next time.

Because Zayn had suggested they do a show together, one night while curled up around him, his chest pressed to Liam’s back. He had whispered it against the back of his neck, nervously and Liam had been nervous too, but the possessiveness in him made him want all of Zayn’s viewers to see that it was him he was with.

(And Zayn had laughed at that, but it is true. He doesn’t mind that Zayn does his shows, but he does get jealous sometimes as he watches him get off on the camera, even if it is always him that Zayn crawls to afterwards, wrapping a hand or his lips around him because Liam always fucking aches afterwards. He is so beautiful, sometimes Liam can’t even believe that he is his. That Zayn chose him too.)

“Deal,” Liam chokes out, laughing at himself. “You could also like, move your things into my room.”

Zayn goes quiet, and it seems like forever before he responds. Liam has been thinking about it for the past few days, since Zayn spends most of his time in his room anyway. Liam will come home from work to find him sprawled out on his bed, or doing his homework at his desk. He has started a collage in Liam’s room, up the wall around his desk, taking the photos from his own wall. A lot of them are of just Liam, because Zayn seems to have a bit of an obsession with taking photos of him.

Liam loves it.

“Are you sure?” Zayn says after a moment, the nerves clear in his voice.

“No,” Liam jokes, lips quirking up and threatening to ruin the serious way he tries to hold his voice. “I’m actually bringing someone back from home. New lad - you might like him.”

“Liam,” Zayn grumbles. “Not funny. I’m already bringing my clothes in now.”

\--

"Hunny, could you get the pie out the oven for me please?"

Liam nods, pushing up from the carpet where he sits around a pile of crumpled wrapping paper. He smacks a kiss to his mum's cheek, thanking her again for the presents that she didn't have to buy for him. She always goes way overboard, spending way too much money on him and even though she cried over the necklace Zayn had helped him pick out, he wishes he could spoil her with more too.

Liam's phone vibrates as he pads into the kitchen. His lips lift into a small before he answers, knowing it is Zayn by the ringtone.

"Hey baby," he greets, reaching for the mistletoe designed oven mitts before he opens the oven.

"Happy Christmas," Zayn replies softly. "How was your morning?"

"Good," Liam answers, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder as he grips the pan to pull it out of the oven. "Got a couple gifts for you under the tree. I don't think Mum could resist."

Zayn chuckles, his voice soft when he speaks. "I have to meet her, babe. Tell her thank you."

Liam bites around his smile as he places the pie on the stove. "You really should come around, if you can. I miss you."

A knock sounds on the front door and he hears his mum's voice, calling for him to answer it since it is right by the kitchen.

"I miss you too love," Zayn says, the amusement clear in his voice and Liam frowns as he rushes towards the door, hearing another knock. "Who the heck in your family owns a Range Rover?"

Liam barely has time to process his words as he grips the doorknob, but his heart pushes into his throat like it always does with Zayn and he nearly rips the door off the hinges.

Liam's hand falls to his side as he takes in Zayn in front of him, a smirk on his lips as he hangs up the phone. He wears a hoodie and his leather jacket, a thick scarf that he is pretty sure belongs to Niall wrapped around his neck. Snowflakes cling to his hair, slicked over the side perfectly. His beard is thicker, only a bit thicker than when Liam had last seen him but it makes his breath catch.

"Surprise," Zayn murmurs, chuckling softly, wiggling his fingers out like he is presenting himself.

Liam doesn't care about the cold or the snow falling from overhead as he steps outside, oven mitt clad hands covering Zayn's cheeks as he muffles Zayn's laugh with his own.

"Liam," Zayn whines, but Liam knows he doesn't mean it. He doesn't stop, only peppers more kisses to his cheeks.

"Love, who is it?"

Liam doesn't pull away as he hears his mum approach, even though Zayn's eyes go wide. It has only been a little less than a week but he has missed Zayn so much -

"Oh my gosh," Karen coos and Liam finally lets his hands drop. Nerves take over Zayn's face as he reaches a hand out towards Liam's mum. It is adorable really, the way he glances at Liam and swallows thickly before saying hello.

Karen wraps her arms around him, practically pushing Liam aside and making him laugh. "Oh it is so good to finally see you. Please come in, it is so cold."

"Yes mam, thank you," Zayn responds, cheeks flushing considerably. Liam lets him pass, folding a hand over the bottom of his spine to guide him in.

There is something about seeing Zayn in his home, among all of  his family members that hug him and greet him like he is family, that makes Liam's chest feel like it is going to break in half. But in like, a really good way.

"Come on, dear. There is a spot for you on the couch," Karen says softly, patting Zayn's cheek. She uses the same voice she uses with Liam when he first comes home, warm and motherly. "Liam has bought you a hundred gifts so get comfortable."

Liam flushes when Zayn eyes him with an amused grin. He links their fingers, making his mother coo and his father laugh at her.

"Don't laugh at me," Liam grumbles, lips quirking up as Zayn's nose wrinkles.

"I won't," he mutters, but the laughter in his voice is clear. "Just love you is all."

"Love you too," Liam grins, settling on the couch and tugging Zayn down with him. He sat purposefully close to the edge, leaving him little room so he has to sit half on his lap.

Zayn glances around at his family, his mother shuffling through the presents under the tree and his sisters listening to his dad going on about Karen, teasing how about how often she frets but their fondness for her is undeniable.

"Than you should um, put your lips on mine or summat," Zayn murmurs, lips tugging up. "You know, make it official."

"It is official," Liam muses, wrinkling his nose as he watches the way Zayn's tongue drags over his chapped from the cold air bottom lip.

The crease between Zayn's eyebrows deepen as he frowns, pinching Zayn's inner thigh. "Babe, it has been forever. I can't wait any longer, please kiss me."

Liam grins, holding in his laughter as he folds a palm over Zayn's cheek, wiggling his nose against Zayn's reddened one before he does just that. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think? [tumblr](http://zipplekink.tumblr.com) and [twitter](http://twitter.com/zippIekink) if you need it!


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